THE  ]  .IBRARY 


THE  UNIVERSITY 


OF  CALIFORNIA 


LOS  ANGELES 


MABEL  R.  GILLIS 


LIST  OF  THE  ELSIE  BOOKS  AND 
OTHER  POPULAR  BOOKS 

BY 

MARTHA  FINLEY 


ELSIE  DINSMORB. 

ELSIE'S  HOLIDAYS  AT  ROSELANDSi 
ELSIE'S  GIRLHOOD. 

ELSIE'S  WOMANHOOD. 
ELSIE'S  MOTHERHOOD. 
ELSIE'S  CHILDREN. 
ELSIE'S  WIDOWHOOD. 
GRANDMOTHER  ELSIE. 

ELSIE'S  NEW  RELATIONS. 
ELSIE  AT  NANTUCKET. 
THE  TWO  ELSIES. 

ELSIE'S  KITH  AND  KIN. 
ELSIE'S  FRIENDS  AT  WOODBURN. 

CHRISTMAS  WITH  GRANDMA  ELSIB. 
ELSIE  AND  THE  RAYMONDS. 

ELSIE  YACHTING  WITH  THE  RA  YMOND&. 
ELSIE'S  VACATION. 

ELSIE  AT  VIAMEDE. 
ELSIE  AT  ION. 

ELSIE  AT  THE  WORLD'S  FAIR. 

ELSIE'S  JOURNEY  ON  INLAND  WATERS. 
ELSIE  AT  HOME. 

ELSIE  ON  THE  HUDSON. 
ELSIE  IN  THE  SOUTH. 
ELSIE'S  YOUNG  FOLKS. 


1LDRED  KEITH. 
MILDRED  AT  ROSELANDS. 
MILDRED'S  MARRIED  LIFE. 
MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 
MILDRED  AT  HOME. 

MILDRED'S  BOYS  AND  GIRLS. 
MILDRED'S  NEW  DAUGHTER. 


G4SSLLA. 

SIGNING  THE  CONTRACT  AND  WHAT  IT  COST. 
THE  TRAGEDY  OF  WILD  RIVER  VALLEY. 
OUR  FRED. 

AN  OLD-FASHIONED  BOY. 
WANTED,  A  PEDIGREE. 

THE  THORN  IN  THE  NEST. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 


BY 


MAETHA    FILLET, 

(MARTHA   FARQUHARSON,) 

ATJTHOB  OP    THE   "ELSIE    BOOKS,"   "MILDRED  KEITH/ 
"MILDRED     AT     ROSELANDS,"    "SIGNING     THE 
CONTRACT,"  ETC.,  ETC. 


•'  Through  suffering  and  sorrow  thou  hastpass'd, 
To  show  us  what  a  woman  true  may  be." — 

J.  R.  LOWELL. 

"  A  lovely  being  scarcely  form' d  or  moulded, 
A  rose  with  all  its  sweetest  leaves  yet  folded." — 

BYRON 


NEW  YORK : 
DODD,  MEAD  &  COMPANY, 

PUBLISHERS. 


COPYRIGHT,  1881,  BY  DODD,  MEAD  &  COMPANY. 


MILDRED  AM)  ELSIE, 


CHAPTER  I. 

"  'Tis  beautiful  when  first  the  dewy  light 

Breaks  on  the  earth  1  while  yet  the  scented  air 
Is  breathing  the  cool  freshness  of  the  night, 
And  the  bright  clouds  a  tint  of  crimson  bear." 

ELIZABETH  M.  CHANDLER. 

'  'A  long,  long  kiss,  a  kiss  of  youth  and  love." 

Bnoar. 

MORNING  was  breaking  over  the  landscape ; 
a  cool,  refreshing  breeze,  laden  with  woodland 
sweets  and  wild  birds'  songs,  softly  kissed  Mil 
dred's  cheek  and  awoke  her. 

She  started  up  with  a  low  exclamation  of 
delight,  sprang  to  the  open  window,  and  kneel 
ing  there  with  her  elbow  on  the  sill  and  her 
cheek  in  her  hand,  feasted  her  eyes  upon  the 
beauty  of  the  scene — a  grand  panorama  of 
wooded  hills,  falling  waters,  wild  glens  and 
forests  and  craggy  mountains,  above  whose 
lofty  summits  the  east  was  glowing  with  crim 
son  and  gold. 

Another  moment  and  the  sun  burst  through 


577437 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

the  golden  gate  and  began  anew  his  daily  round, 
"  rejoicing  as  a  strong  man  to  run  a  race." 

The  brightness  of  his  face  was  too  dazzling 
for  Mildred's  eyes,  and  her  gaze  fell  lower 
down,  where  wreaths  of  gray  mist  hung  over 
the  valleys  or  crept  slowly  up  the  mountain 
sides.  Presently  it  rested  on  one  of  the  nearer 
hill-tops,  and  a  sudden,  vivid  blush  suffused 
her  cheek,  while  a  sweet  and  tender  smile 
shone  in  her  eyes  and  hovered  about  her  lips. 

But  a  sigh  quickly  followed,  smile  and  blush 
faded  away,  and  she  dropped  her  face  into  her 
hands  with  a  low-breathed  exclamation,  "  Oh 
what  shall  I  do  ?  What  ought  I  to  do  ?" 

There  was  a  question  of  grave  importance 
awaiting  her  decision — a  decision  which  would 
in  all  probability  affect  the  happiness  of  her 
whole  future  life  on  earth ;  yea,  who  should  say 
its  influence  would  not  reach  even  into  eternity? 

She  longed  to  take  counsel  of  her  mother, 
but  that  mother  was  far  distant,  and  the  ques 
tion  one  the  girl  shrank  from  putting  upon 
paper  and  trusting  to  the  mails. 

But  a  dearer,  wiser,  even  more  loving  friend 
was  close  at  hand,  and  to  Him  and  His  Word 
she  turned  for  guidance. 

Subdued  sounds  of  life  came  to  Mildred's 
ear  ere  she  closed  the  Book  ;  servants  were 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  1 

astir  setting  the  house  to  rights  and  preparing 
breakfast  for  the  numerous  guests,  most  of 
whom  still  lingered  in  the  land  of  dreams. 

Mildred  made  a  rapid  but  neat  toilet,  then 
stole  softly  from  the  room,  promising  herself 
a  stroll  through  the  grounds  while  yet  the 
quiet  and  dewy  freshness  of  early  morning 
lingered  there. 

In  one  of  the  wide  cool  porches  of  the  hotel 
a  young  man  paced  to  and  fro  with  hasty,  agi 
tated  step,  glancing  up  again  and  again  with 
longing  impatience  at  the  windows  of  a  certain 
room  on  the  second  floor.  Pausing  in  his  walk, 
he  drew  out  his  watch. 

"  Only  a  brief  half -hour !"  he  sighed.  "  Am 
I  not  to  see  her  at  all  ?" 

But  at  that  instant  there  stepped  from  the 
open  doorway  a  slight,  graceful,  girlish  figure 
in  a  dainty  white  muslin,  a  bunch  of  wild- 
Sowers  in  her  belt,  a  broad-brimmed  straw  hat 
in  her  hand;  and  with  a  low  exclamation,  "  Ah, 
at  last !"  he  hurried  to  meet  her. 

She  started  slightly  at  sight  of  him  and  sent 
a  hurried  glance  this  way  and  that,  as  if  medi 
tating  flight. 

"  O  Mildred,  don't  run  away !  why  should 
you  avoid  me  ?"  he  said  entreatingly,  holding 
out  his  hand. 


8  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

There  was  a  scarcely  perceptible  hesitation 
in  her  manner  as  she  gave  him  hers. 

"  Good-morning,"  she  said  softly.  "  Is  any 
thing  wrong  ?  I  think  you  look  troubled." 

"Yes,  I  am  called  away  suddenly;  must 
leave  within  the  hour ;  a  dear,  only  sister  lies 
at  the  point  of  death." 

His  tones  grew  husky  and  her  eyes  filled 
with  tears. 

"  Oh  what  sad  news !  I  am  so  sorry  for 
you !"  she  murmured. 

He  drew  her  hand  within  his  arm  and  led 
her  down  a  shaded  alley. 

"  It  is  in  your  power  to  give  me  unspeakable 
comfort,"  he  said,  bending  over  her.  "You 
wear  my  flowers;  O  dearest!  is  not  that  a 
whisper  of  hope  to  me  ?  You  have  decided  in 
my  favor  ?  is  it  not  so  2" 

"  O  Charlie,  don't  ask  me !  I — I  have  not 
been  able  yet  to  see  that — that  I  may — that  I 
ought—" 

"  To  follow  the  dictates  of  your  heart  ?  Is 
that  what  you  would  say  2"  he  asked,  as  she 
broke  off  abruptly,  leaving  the  sentence  unfin 
ished.  "  O  Mildred  !  you  cannot  have  the  heart 
to  refuse  me  this  one  crumb  of  comfort  ?  "We 
must  part  in  a  few  moments — when  to  meet 
again  neither  of  us  knows.  You  have  refused 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  9 

to  pledge  yourself  to  me,  and  I  will  not  ask  it 
now — though  I  solemnly  promise  you — " 

"No,  don't,"  she  interrupted,  struggling 
with  her  tears ;  "  I  would  have  you  free — free 
as  air ;  since  I — I  can  promise  nothing." 

"  I  will  never  marry  any  one  but  you,"  he 
said  with  vehemence.  "  If  I  cannot  win  you, 
I  will  live  single  all  my  days.  But  you  do 
care  for  me  ?  You  do  love  me  ?  O  Mildred ! 
one  word,  only  a  word  or  a  look,  that  I  may 
not  go  away  on  my  sorrowful  errand  in  utter 
despair.  Only  assure  me  that  I  have  won  your 
heart,  and  I  shall  never  abandon  hope  that  this 
barrier  may  some  day  be  removed." 

She  could  not  refuse  him  :  she  had  not  power 
to  hide  either  her  love  or  her  grief  that  they 
must  part;  both  had  their  way  for  a  short 
Nspace. 

He  had  led  her  into  an  arbor  whose  shelter 
ing  vines  would  screen  them  from  prying  eyes ; 
and  there  clasped  in  each  other's  arms,  heart 
beating  against  heart,  his  bearded  lip  softly 
touching  again  and  again  her  cheek,  her  brow, 
her  quivering  lips,  they  passed  the  few  precious 
moments  that  yet  remained  to  them. 

He  was  gone  ;  and  as  the  last  echo  of  his  de 
parting  footsteps  died  away  upon  her  ear  there 
•came  over  Mildred  such  a  sense  of  utter  deso- 


10  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

lation  as  she  had  never  known  before.  Sink 
ing  down  upon  a  rustic  bench  she  hid  her  face 
in  her  hands,  and  for  a  few  moments  allowed 
her  full  heart  to  ease  itself  in  a  burst  of  weep 
ing. 

But  this  would  not  do ;  the  breakfast  hour 
drew  near,  and  though  it  had  been  of  late  her 
aunt's  custom  to  take  that  meal  in  bed,  her 
uncle  would  expect  to  see  her  in  her  usual 
place  at  the  table,  and  his  keen  eye  would  be 
quick  to  detect  the  traces  of  tears.  The 
cousins,  too,  would  notice  them  and  not  scruple 
to  inquire  the  cause. 

She  hastily  dried  her  eyes,  rose,  and  leaving 
the  arbor,  strolled  about  the  grounds,  resolutely 
striving  to  recover  her  wonted  cheerfulness. 

She  had  made  the  circuit  once,  and  again 
neared  the  arbor,  when  she  heard  her  name 
called  in  sweet,  childish  treble,  "  Cousin  Milly, 
Cousin  Milly !"  and  as  she  turned  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  sound,  little  Elsie,  closely  followed 
by  her  faithful  mammy,  came  bounding  toward 
her  with  a  letter  in  her  hand. 

"  Grandpa  said  I  might  bring  it  to  you. 
Ain't  you  so  glad,  cousin  ?"  she  asked ;  and  the 
missive  was  put  into  Mildred's  hand,  the  sweet 
baby  face  held  up  for  a  kiss. 

Mildred  bestowed   it  very  heartily,  taking 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  H 

the  little  one  in  her  arms  and  repeating  the 
caress  again  and  again,  "  Yery  glad,  darling," 
she  said,  "and  very  much  obliged  to  my  pet 
for  bringing  it.  Is  it  time  to  go  in  to  break- 
fast,  Aunt  Chloe  3" 

"  Massa  Dinsmore  say  you  will  hab  time  to 
read  de  lettah  first,  Miss  Milly,"  replied  the 
nurse,  dropping  a  courtesy. 

"  Then  I  will  do  so,"  Mildred  said,  re-enter 
ing  the  arbor. 

"May  mammy  and  Elsie  stay  wis  you?" 
asked  the  baby  girl  coaxingly. 

"  Yes  indeed,  darling,"  Mildred  said,  making 
room  for  the  child  to  sit  by  her  side. 

"Dere  now,  honey,  keep  quiet  and  don't 
'sturb  yo'  cousin  while  she  reads  de  lettah," 
cautioned  Aunt  Chloe,  lifting  her  nursling 
and  settling  her  comfortably  on  the  bench. 

Mildred  had  broken  the  seal,  and  was  already 
too  much  absorbed  in  the  news  from  home  to 
hear  or  heed  what  her  companions  might  be 
saying. 

Elsie  watched  her,  as  she  read,  with  loving, 
wistful  eyes.  "Did  your  mamma  write  it, 
cousin  ?"  she  asked,  as  Mildred  paused  to  turn 
the  page. 

"  Yes,  dear ;  and  she  sends  love  and  kisses 
to  you,  and  wishes  I  could  take  you  home  with 


12  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

me  when  I  go.  Oh,  if  I  only  could  !"  And 
Mildred  bent  down  to  press  another  kiss  on  the 
sweet  baby  lips. 

"  Maybe  my  papa  will  let  me  go,  if  grandpa 
will  write  and  ask  him,"  returned  the  child, 
with  an  eager,  joyous  look  up  into  Mildred's 
face.  "  But  I  couldn't  go  wisout  mammy." 

"  Oh  no !  if  you  should  go,  mammy  would 
go  too  ;  you  can't  be  separated  from  her,  and 
we  would  all  be  glad  to  have  her  there,"  Mil 
dred  said,  softly  caressing  the  shining  curls  of 
the  little  one,  glancing  kindly  up  into  the  dusky 
face  of  the  nurse,  then  turning  to  her  letter 
again. 

It  was  with  mingled  feelings  that  she  per 
used  it,  for  though  all  was  well  with  the  dear 
ones  beneath  her  father's  roof,  and  the  thought 
of  soon  again  looking  upon  their  loved  faces 
made  most  welcome  the  summons  home  which 
it  brought,  there  was  sorrow  and  pain  in  the 
prospect  of  soon  bidding  a  long  farewell  to 
the  darling  now  seated  by  her  side — the  little 
motherless  one  over  whom  her  heart  yearned 
so  tenderly  because  of  the  lack  of  parental 
love  and  care  that  made  the  young  life  seem  so 
sad  and  forlorn,  spite  of  all  the  beauty  and 
wealth  with  which  she — the  little  fair  one — 
was  so  abundantly  dowered. 

As  she  read  the  last  line,  then  slowly  refold- 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  13 

ed  the  letter,  tears  gathered  in  her  eyes.  Elsie 
saw  them,  and  stealing  an  arm  round  her  neck, 
said  in  her  sweet  baby  tones,  "Don't  cry, 
Cousin  Milly.  What  makes  you  sorry?  I 
loves  you  ever  so  much." 

"  And  I  you,  you  precious,  lovely  darling !" 
cried  Mildred,  clasping  the  little  form  close  and 
kissing  the  pure  brow  again  and  again.  "  That 
is  just  what  almost  breaks  my  heart  at  the 
thought  of — oh  why,  why  don't  you  belong  to 
us !"  she  broke  off  with  a  half -stifled  sob. 

A  firm,  quick  step  came  up  the  gravel  walk, 
and  Mr.  Dinsrnore  stood  looking  down  upon 
them. 

"  Why,  what  is  wrong  ?  not  bad  news  from 
home,  I  hope,  Milly  ?" 

"No,  uncle;  they  are  all  well,  and  every 
thing  going  smoothly  so  far  as  I  can  learn 
from  my  letter,"  she  said,  brushing  away  her 
tears  and  forcing  a  smile. 

"What  then?"  he  asked,  "Elsie  has  not 
been  troubling  you.  I  hope  ?" 

"  Oh  no,  no,  she  never  does  that ! " 

"  Breakfast  has  been  announced ;  shall  we  go 
and  partake  of  it  ?" 

"  If  you  please,  sir.  I  am  quite  ready,"  Mil 
dred  answered,  as  she  rose  and  took  his  offered 
arm. 

"Bring  the  child,"  he  said  to  Chloe;  then 


14  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

walking  on.  "What  is  wrong,  Milly?  thera 
must  have  been  a  cause  for  the  tears  you  have 
certainly  been  shedding." 

"  I  am  summoned  home,  uncle,  and  glad  as 
I  shall  be  to  see  it  and  all  the  dear  ones  there, 
again,  I  can't  help  feeling  sorry  to  leave  you 
all." 

"I  hope  not.  Dear  me,  I  wish  we  could 
keep  you  always !"  he  exclaimed.  "  But  when 
and  how  are  you  to  go  ?" 

"Mother  wrote  that  a  gentleman  friend — 
our  minister,  Mr.  Lord — will  be  in  Philadel 
phia  in  the  course  of  three  or  four  weeks, 
spend  a  few  days  there,  then  go  back  to  Pleas 
ant  Plains,  and  that  he  has  kindly  offered  to 
take  charge  of  me.  Mother  and  father  think 
I  should  embrace  the  opportunity  by  all  means, 
as  it  may  be  a  long  time  before  another  as  good 
will  offer." 

"And  doubtless  they  are  right,  though  I 
wish  it  had  not  come  so  soon." 

"  So  soon,  uncle  ?"  Mildred  returned  bright 
ly.  "  Do  you  forget  that  I  have  been  with  you 
for  nearly  a  year  ?" 

"A  year  is  a  very  short  time  at  my  age,"  he 
answered  with  a  smile. 

But  they  were  at  the  door  of  the  breakfast- 
room,  and  the  topic  was  dropped  for  the  pres 
ent,  as  by  mutual  consent. 


CHAPTER  II. 

"  O  my  good  lord,  the  world  is  but  a  word; 
Were  it  all  yours,  to  give  it  in  a  breath, 
How  quickly  were  it  gone." 

SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  end  of  the  week  found  the  Dinsmores 
and  Mildred  in  Philadelphia,  very  busy  with 
sight-seeing  and  shopping.  Each  one  of  the 
party  was  to  be  furnished  with  a  suitable  out 
fit  for  fall  and  the  coming  winter,  and  Mildred 
had  a  long  list  of  commissions  from  her 
mother. 

Mrs.  Dinsmore  showed  herself  keenly  in 
terested  in  the  purchase  of  her  own  and  her 
•children's  finery,  languidly  so  in  Mildred's; 
these  procured,  she  immediately  declared  her 
self  completely  worn  out  and  unfit  for  further 
exertion. 

No  one  regretted  it ;  Mildred  had  learned 
to  rely  to  a  great  extent  upon  her  own  taste 
and  judgment,  and  with  Mr.  Dinsmore's 
efficient  help  succeeded  quite  to  her  satisfac 
tion  in  filling  out  the  remainder  of  her  list. 

To  him  fell  the  task  of  buying  for  his  little 
granddaughter,  and  Mildred  was  not  a  little 


16  NILDEED  AND  ELSIE. 

gratified  by  being  taken  into  his  counsels  and 
invited  to  assist  his  choice  of  materials  and 
the  fashion  in  which  they  should  be  made  up. 

Spite  of  some  drawbacks  to  her  pleasure, 
principally  caused  by  Mrs.  Dinsmore's  infirmi 
ties  of  temper,  Mildred  thoroughly  enjoyed 
her  stay  in  the  City  of  Brotherly  Love. 

It  was  drawing  to  a  close,  when,  on  coming 
down  from  her  room  one  morning  and  enter 
ing  the  private  parlor  of  their  party,  she  was 
met  by  a  joyous  greeting  from  little  Elsie. 

"  O  Cousin  Milly,  I'm  so  glad  !  Grandpa 
has  got  a  letter  from  my  papa,  and  my  papa 
says  Elsie  must  go  and  buy  some  pretty 
presents  for  all  the  folks  at  your  home.  Isn't 
that  ever  so  nice  ?" 

"  Thank  you,  darling,  you  and  your  papa," 
Mildred  said,  stooping  to  caress  the  child. 
"  He  is  very  kind,  and  I  know  your  generous 
little  heart  can  find  no  greater  pleasure  than 
in  giving  to  others." 

"  She's  a  Dinsmore  in  that,"  her  grand 
father  said  with  a  proud  smile ;  "  they  have 
always  esteemed  it  the  greatest  luxury  wealth 
can  purchase.  And  Elsie  is  fortunately  abun 
dantly  able  to  gratify  herself  in  that  way,  and 
her  father  has  given  her  carte  blanche  (subject 
to  my  approval,  of  course) ;  eo,  my  dear,  you 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  YT 

are  not  to  object  to  anything  we  may  take  it- 
into  our  heads  to  do." 

He  patted  Elsie's  curly  pate  as  he  spoke, 
and  looked  smilingly  into  Mildred's  eyes. 

"You  are  very  kind  now  and  always, 
uncle,"  the  young  girl  responded,  returning 
his  smile  and  blushing  slightly ;  "  and  I  don't 
know  that  I  have  a  right  to  object  to  anything 
that  is  not  done  for  myself." 

The  entrance  of  Mrs.  Dinsmore  and  her 
children  simultaneously  with  the  bringing  in 
of  breakfast,  put  a  stop  to  the  conversation. 

"  "Well,  Mildred,  if  it  suits  your  conveni 
ence,  we  will  set  out  at  once  upon  this  final 
shopping  expedition,"  her  uncle  said  as  they 
left  the  table ;  and  her  consent  being  given,, 
he  directed  Chloe  to  make  Elsie  ready  to  ac 
company  them. 

The  child  was  in  her  element  as  they  went 
from  one  store  to  another,  and  she  chose,  with 
the  asisstance  of  her  grandfather  and  cousin, 
her  gifts  to  Mildred's  parents,  brothers,  and 
sisters. 

At  length  they  entered  the  largest  jewelry 
sstablishment  in  the  city,  and  Mr.  Dinsmore 
asked  to  be  shown  some  of  their  best  gold, 
watches  for  ladies. 

"  I  am  commissioned  to  select  one  for  a  lady 


18  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

friend,"  he  said  to  Mildred  in  a  grave,  half- 
preoccupied  tone  as  the  jeweller  promptly 
complied  with  his  request,  "and  I  want  your 
assistance  in  making  a  choice." 

"  But  I  am  no  judge  of  a  watch,  uncle,"  she 
returned ;  "  Elsie  here  could  select  about  as 
well  as  I." 

"  Elsie  shall  have  her  say  about  it,  too,"  Mr. 
Dinsmore  said,  looking  smilingly  from  one  to 
the  other.  "  All  I  want  from  either  of  you  is 
-an  opinion  in  regard  to  the  outside  appearance, 
while  this  gentleman  and  1  will  judge  of  the 
quality  of  the  works." 

They  presently  made  a  selection  of  both 
watch  and  chain  satisfactory  to  all  parties. 
Elsie  chose  a  plain  gold  ring  for  Mildred,  and 
one  for  each  of  her  sisters,  and  they  left  the 
store. 

Elsie  whispered  something  to  her  grand 
father  as  he  took  his  seat  beside  her  in  the 
•carriage. 

He  shook  his  head.  "Wait  till  we  get 
home,"  he  said  rather  curtly ;  "  we  are  going 
now  to  choose  the  new  piano." 

It  was  for  the  drawing-room  at  Roselands, 
and  he  took  Mildred  with  him  to  try  the  in 
struments  and  tell  him  which  she  thought  the 
best  and  finest  toned. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  \& 

Mildred  was  equally  charmed  with  several 
— two  in  particular — and  they  had  some  little 
difficulty  in  fixing  upon  the  one  that  should 
be  ordered  to  Eoselands. 

"  I  will  leave  it  undecided  for  to-day,"  Mr. 
Dinsmore  said  at  length,  "  and  will  call  again 
to-morrow." 

On  the  way  to  their  hotel,  and  when  arrived 
there,  little  Elsie  seemed  all  eagerness,  yet 
kept  it  in  check  in  obedience  to  an  occasional 
warning  look  from  her  grandfather. 

Mildred  went  directly  to  her  room  to  re 
move  her  bonnet  and  shawl,  then  sat  down  in. 
a  low  chair  by  the  window  to  rest  and  think 
while  awaiting  the  summons  to  dinner. 

She  had  scarcely  done  so  when  there  was  a 
gentle  tap,  as  of  baby  fingers,  at  her  door,  and 
Elsie's  sweet  voice  was  heard  asking  in  eagerr 
excited  tones  for  admittance. 

"  Yes,  darling,  come  in,"  Mildred  answered ; 
and  the  door  flew  open  and  the  child  ran  in, 
closely  followed  by  her  mammy. 

The  small  hands  held  a  jewel-case,  and  the 
large,  soft  brown  eyes  were  full  of  love  and 
delight  as  she  hastened  to  place  it  in  Mildred's 
lap,  saying,  "It's  for  you,  cousin;  my  papa 
said  in  his  letter  that  Elsie  might  buy  it  for 
you." 


20  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

She  raised  the  lid.  "See,  Cousin  Milly, 
see !  Aren't  you  so  glad  ?" 

There  lay  the  watch  and  chain  they  had 
helped  Mr.  Dinsmore  select  that  morning. 

A  watch  was  a  far  greater  luxury  in  those 
days  than  it  is  now,  and  this  a  costly  and 
beautiful  one.  Mildred  could  scarcely  believe 
the  evidence  of  her  senses ;  surely  it  must  be 
all  a  dream.  She  gazed  at  the  child  in  dumb 
•surprise. 

Elsie  lifted  her  pretty  present  with  dainty 
«are,  threw  the  chain  round  Mildred's  neck, 
^nd  slid  the  watch  into  the  bosom  of  her  dress ; 
then  stepping  back  a  little  to  take  a  better 
"view,  "  See,  mammy,  see !''  she  cried,  clapping 
her  hands  and  dancing  up  and  down  in  delight, 
""  doesn't  it  look  pretty  on  cousin  ?" 

"  Jus'  lubly,  honey.  Don't  Miss  Milly  like 
it?" 

Aunt  Chloe's  look  into  Mildred's  face  was 
half  reproachful,  half  entreating.  Could  it  be 
possible  that  her  darling's  beautiful,  costly  gift 
^was  not  appreciated  ? 

"  Like  it  ?"  cried  Mildred,  catching  the  child 
in  her  arms  and  covering  the  little  face  with 
kisses,  a  tear  or  two  mingling  with  them  to 
the  great  wonderment  of  the  little  one ;  "  like 
it  ?  Oh  it  is  only  too  lovely  and  expensive  to 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  21 

be  bestowed  upon  me !  Sweet  pet,  you  should 
keep  it  for  yourself.  Cousin  Milly  ought  not 
to  take  it  from  you." 

"  Yes,  papa  did  say  so  in  his  letter.  Grand 
pa  read  the  words  to  Elsie.  And  when  I's 
big  enough  I  is  to  have  my  mamma's  watch." 

"  But  it  cost  so  much,"  murmured  Mildred 
half  to  herself,  as  she  drew  out  the  watch  and 
gazed  at  it  with  admiring  eyes. 

"  My  chile  hab  plenty  ob  money,"  respond 
ed  Aunt  Chloe,  "  and  houses  and  land  and 
eberyting  ob  dis  world's  riches  ;  and  she  lubs 
you,  Miss  Milly,  and  ef  you  don'  take  dat 
watch  and  chain  she  will  most  break  her 
bressed  little  heart.  "Won't  you,  honey  ?" 

The  child  nodded,  and  the  soft  eyes  gazing 
into  Mildred's  filled  with  tears.  It  was  im 
possible  to  resist  their  eloquent  pleading. 

"  Then  cousin  will  accept  it  with  her  hearti 
est  thanks,  and  value  it  more  for  the  sake  of 
the  dear  little  giver  than  for  its  usefulness,  its 
beauty,  or  its  cost,"  Mildred  said,  taking  Elsie 
on  her  lap  and  holding  her  in  a  close,  loving 
embrace.  "  Dear  little  girlie,"  she  murmured 
tenderly,  "  cousin  will  never  intentionally  rob 
you  of  the  smallest  pleasure  or  plant  the  least 
thorn  in  your  path." 

Another  light  tap  at  the  door,  and  Mr- 


52  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Dinsmore  joined  them.  "  Ah !  that  is  right," 
lie  said  with  a  smiling  glance  at  the  chain  about 
Mildred's  neck. 

"  Uncle,  it  is  too  much.  You  should  not 
have  allowed  it.  How  could  you?"  Mildred 
asked  half  reproachfully. 

"  I  only  obeyed  orders,"  was  his  laughing 
rejoinder.  "Horace  feels,  as  I  do  also,  that 
we  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  your  mother — 
"to  say  nothing  of  the  affection  we  have  for 
you  all ;  and  he  knows  from  the  reports  I  have 
given  him  of  his  child  that  he  could  not  af 
ford  her  a  greater  gratification  than  the  per 
mission  to  do  this.  Beside,  you  have  been  ex 
tremely  kind  to  her,  and  ought  not  to  object 
to  her  making  you  some  small  return  in  the 
only  wray  she  can." 

"  O  uncle !  her  love  and  sweet  caresses  have 
more  than  recompensed  the  little  I  have  been 
able  to  do  for  her,  the  darling!"  cried  Mildred, 
heaping  fresh  caresses  upon  the  little  fair  one. 

Mr.  Lord  called  that  afternoon  to  report 
himself  as  arrived  in  the  city,  and  to  inquire 
if  it  were  Mildred's  intention  to  accept  his 
escort  on  the  homeward  journey.  His  stay 
would  necessarily  be  short — not  more  than 
:two  or  three  days. 

Mildred   met  him  with  outstretched  hand 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  g$ 

and  eyes  shining  with  pleasure.  She  had  been 
so  long  away  from  home,  was  so  hungry  for 
a  sight  of  anything  connected  with  Pleasant 
Plains,  that  had  she  unexpectedly  encountered 
Damaris  Drybread  she  would  very  probably 
have  greeted  her  with  something  like  affec 
tion. 

She  perceived  no  change  in  Mr.  Lord,  ex 
cept  that  he  had  a  new  set  of  teeth  ;  he  seemed 
to  her  in  all  other  respects  precisely  what  he- 
was  when  she  bade  him  good-by  a  year  ago ;. 
but  he  was  astonished,  bewildered,  delighted 
at  the  change  in  her.  He  had  always  admired 
her  fresh  young  beauty,  but  it  was  as  though 
the  sweet  bud  had  blossomed  into  the  half- 
blown,  lovely  rose,  with  just  a  few  of  its  pet 
als  still  softly  folded. 

He  blushed  and  stammered,  answered  her 
eager  queries  about  old  friends,  and  all  that 
had  been  going  on  in  Pleasant  Plains  since 
she  left,  in  the  most  absent-minded  way,  and 
scarcely  took  his  eyes  from  her  face.  In  short, 
so  conducted  himself  as  to  make  his  feelings 
toward  her  evident  to  the  most  careless  ob 
server. 

"  Mildred,"  said  Mrs.  Dinsmore,  when  at 
last  he  had  taken  his  departure  for  that  day,. 
"  if  I  were  your  mother  you  should  stay  from. 


•24  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

liome  another  year  before  I  would  trust  you 
to  travel  with  that  man  !" 

"Why,  aunt,  you  cannot  think  hi:n  any. 
thing  but  a  good  man !"  exclaimed  the  girl  in 
astonishment. 

"  Humph !  that's  a  question  I  don't  pretend 
to  decide.  But  don't,  I  beg  of  you,  let  him 
persuade  you  on  the  way  that  it  is  your  duty 
to  marry  him.  If  he  can  only  make  you  be 
lieve  it's  your  duty,  you'll  do  it  whether  you 
Tvant  to  or  not." 

Mildred's  cheek  flushed  hotly.  "O  Aunt 
Dinsmore !"  she  cried,  "  he  could  never  be  so 
foolish !  why,  he  is  old  enough  to  be  my  father, 
and  so  wise  and  good  ;  and  I  but  a  silly  young 
thing,  as  unfit  as  possible  for  the  duties  and 
responsibilities  of  a — " 

"  Minister's  wife,"  suggested  Mrs.  Dinsmore, 
as  the  young  girl  broke  off  in  confusion. 
"  "Well,  I  don't  know  about  that ;  you  are 
pious  enough  in  all  conscience.  But,  Mildred, 
you  positively  must  reject  him ;  it  would  be  a 
terribly  hard  life,  and — " 

"  Aunt,  he  has  not  offered,  and  I  believe,  I 
hope,  never  will.  So  I  am  not  called  upon  to 
consider  the  question  of  acceptance  or  rejec^ 
.lion." 

"  That  was  very  rude,  Miss  Keith — your  in- 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  25 

terrupting  me  in  that  way,"  Mrs.  Dinsmore 
•said,  half  in  displeasure,  half  in  sport.  "  "Well, 
if  you  will  allow  me,  I  shall  finish  what  I  had 
to  say.  I've  set  my  heart  on  seeing  you  and 
Charlie  Landreth  make  a  match.  There !  why 
do  you  color  so,  and  turn  your  head  away? 
Charlie  likes  you — is  in  fact  deeply  in  love,  I 
feel  perfectly  certain,  and  doubtless  will  follow 
you  before  long.  You  may  take  my  word  for 
it  that  he  would  have  proposed  before  we  left 
the  springs  if  it  hadn't  been  for  that  sudden 
summons  to  his  dying  sister." 

Mildred  made  no  reply ;  she  had  kept  her 
face  studiously  averted,  and  was  glad  that  the 
entrance,  at  that  moment,  of  a  servant  with  a 
letter  for  Mrs.  Dinsmore  gave  her  an  oppor 
tunity  to  escape  from  the  room. 


CHAPTEE  III. 

"  And  't  shall  go  hard, 
But  I  will  delve  one  yard,  below  their  mines, 
And  blow  them  at  the  moon." 

SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  sun  was  just  peeping  over  the  tops  of 
the  tall  city  houses  as  Mildred  entered  the 
carriage  which  was  to  convey  her  to  the  depot. 
Mr.  Dinsmore  and  little  Elsie — the  two  whom 
it  was  a  grief  of  heart  to  her  to  leave — were 
with  her;  Mrs.  Dinsmore  and  the  others  had 
bidden  good-by  before  retiring  the  previous 
night,  and  were  still  in  bed. 

"Elsie,  darling,  won't  you  sit  in  cousin's 
lap  ?"  Mildred  said,  holding  out  her  arms  to 
receive  the  child  as  her  grandfather  handed 
her  in  at  the  carriage  door. 

"  No,  no !  she  is  much  too  heavy,  and  there 
is  abundance  of  room,"  he  said  hastily. 

"  But  I  want  to  hold  her,  uncle,"  returned 
Mildred,  drawing  the  little  one  to  her  knee. 
"  I  love  dearly  to  have  her  in  my  arms,  and 
this  is  my  last  chance." 

"  As  you  will,  then ;  a  wilful  woman  will 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  27 

have  her  way,"  he  said  lightly,  as  he  settled 
himself  on  the  opposite  seat  and  the  door 
closed  upon  them  with  a  bang. 

The  rattling  of  the  wheels  over  the  cobble 
stones,  as  they  drove  rapidly  onward,  made 
conversation  next  to  impossible ;  but  Mildred 
was  not  sorry :  her  heart  was  almost  too  full 
for  speech.  She  clasped  little  Elsie  close,  the 
child  nestling  lovingly  in  her  arms,  while  they 
mingled  their  caresses  and  tears. 

At  the  depot,  too,  where  there  was  a  half 
hour  of  waiting,  they  clung  together  as  those 
who  knew  not  how  to  part.  Elsie's  low  sobs 
were  pitiful  to  hear,  but  she  stood  in  too  great 
awe  of  her  grandfather  to  indulge  in  any  loud 
lament. 

He,  however,  did  not  reprove  her,  but 
seemed  to  quite  compassionate  her  grief,  and 
tried  to  assuage  it  with  promises  of  gifts  and 
indulgences ;  for  Mildred  had  succeeded  to 
some  extent  in  softening  his  heart  toward  the 
motherless  little  one — which  she  now  per 
ceived  with  joy  and  thankfulness. 

His  kindness  to  herself  had  been  uniform 
from  the  first,  and  continued  to  the  last  mo 
ment.  Not  till  he  had  seen  her  on  board  the 
train,  and  made  as  comfortable  as  possible,  did 
he  resign  her  to  the  care  of  Mr.  Lord ;  then, 


28  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

with  a  fatherly  kiss  and  an  affectionate  message 
to  her  mother,  he  left  her. 

As  the  train  moved  slowly  on,  she  caught  a 
last  glimpse  of  him,  and  of  Aunt  Chloe  stand 
ing  by  his  side  with  the  weeping  Elsie  in  her 
arms. 

Mr.  Lord  essayed  the  office  of  comforter. 

"  That  is  a  sweet  child,  Miss  Mildred,  a  very 
sweet  child.  And  Mr.  Dinsmore  seems  a 
noble  man.  These  partings  are  sad — especially 
so  when  we  are  young  ;  but  let  the  thought  of 
the  dear  ones  to  whom  you  are  going,  and  of 
the  better  land  where  partings  are  unknown,, 
console  and  cheer  you  now." 

Mildred  could  hardly  have  commanded  her 
voice  to  reply,  and  was  glad  the  increasing 
noise  of  the  train  relieved  her  of  the  necessity 
for  doing  so,  but  she  dried  her  eyes  and  reso 
lutely  forced  her  tears  back  to  their  fountain, 
calling  to  mind  the  lessons  on  the  duty  of 
cheerfulness  taught  her  by  her  mother,  by  both 
precept  and  example. 

And  oh,  it  was  joy  to  know  that  each  mile 
passed  over  was  bearing  her  nearer  to  that 
loved  monitor!  "What  a  cheering  thought 
was  that !  and  scarcely  less  so  the  prospect  of 
seeing  Aunt  "Wealthy,  with  whom  she  and  Mr, 
Xord  were  to  spend  a  few  days;  Lansdale 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  29 

being  not  far  out  of  their  route  in  crossing 
Ohio. 

At  that  day  there  was  no  continuous  line  of 
railroad  from  Philadelphia  to  Pittsburg.  They 
traveled  sometimes  by  canal,  sometimes  by 
stage,  passing  over  the  mountains  in  the  latter. 
This  proved  the  most  exciting  and  perilous 
part  of  the  journey,  the  roads  being  almost 
all  the  way  very  steep,  and  often  lying  along 
the  edge  of  a  precipice,  to  plunge  over  which 
would  be  certain,  horrible  death. 

Much  of  the  scenery  was  grand  and  beauti 
ful,  but  the  enjoyment  of  it  greatly  interfered 
with  by  the  sense  of  danger.  Many  a  time 
Mildred's  heart  seemed  to  leap  into  her  mouth, 
and  she  sent  up  a  silent  but  strong  cry  to  God 
that  he  would  keep  the  horses  from  stumbling, 
their  feet  from  treading  too  near  the  verge. 

There  was  one  afternoon  so  full  of  terror  of 
this  kind,  and  importunate  prayer  for  preser 
vation,  that  she  felt  she  could  never  forget  it 
to  the  day  of  her  death  should  she  live  to  the 
age  of  Methuselah. 

The  stage  was  full :  the  back  seat  was  occu 
pied  by  our  heroine  and  a  young  mother  with 
a  babe  in  her  arms  and  another  little  one  by 
her  side ;  the  remaining  seats  were  filled  with 
gentlemen. 


30  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  That  fellow  is  drunk  and  in  a  terribly  bad 
humor,"  remarked  one  of  the  latter,  as  the 
driver  slammed  the  door  to  upon  them  and 
mounted  to  his  perch. 

"  In  no  fit  condition  to  guide  those  horses 
over  the  steep  and  narrow  passes  that  lie  be 
tween  this  and  our  next  halting-place,"  added 
another  uneasily.  "You  had  an  altercation 
with  him,  hadn't  you,  Blake  ?"  addressing  the 
first  speaker. 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Grey,  I  had ;  what  business  had 
he  to  hurry  us  off  in  this  style?  Why,  we 
were  scarcely  seated  at  the  dinner-table  when 
he  blew  his  horn,  and  we  all  had  to  run  to 
avoid  being  left." 

"  Quite  true." 

"  That's  so,"  assented  several  voices. 

"  And  the  same  thing  is  repeated  again  and 
again,  until  it  has  become  quite  unbearable," 
Blake  went  on,  his  eyes  sparkling  with  anger  j 
"  we  pay  for  our  food  and  have  no  chance  to 
eat  it." 

"  There  seems  to  be  some  collusion  between 
the  innkeepers  and  drivers  for  the  purpose  of 
defrauding  travelers,"  remarked  Mr.  Lord. 

"  Are  we  not  going  very  fast  ?"  asked  the 
young  mother,  turning  a  pale,  anxious  face 
toward  the  last  speaker. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  SI 

"  Yes,  dangerously  so."  And,  putting  his 
head  out  of  the  window,  he  called  to  the 
driver,  mildly  requesting  him  to  slacken  hia 
speed. 

The  reply  was  a  volley  of  oaths  and  curses, 
while  the  whip  was  applied  to  the  horses  in  a 
way  that  made  them  rear  and  plunge  fright 
fully. 

They  had  been  toiling  up  a  steep  ascent, 
and  now  were  skirting  the  mountain  side,  a 
high  wall  of  rock  on  the  one  hand,  a  sheer 
descent  of  many  hundred  feet  on  the  other. 

Blake  glanced  from  the  window  with  a 
shudder,  and  turning  a  ghastly  face  upon  the 
others,  "  We  shall  be  hurled  into  eternity  in 
another  minute,"  he  said,  in  a  hoarse  whisper. 

Then  voice  after  voice  was  raised,  calling  to 
the  driver  in  expostulation,  warning,  entreaty. 

"  You  are  risking  your  own  life  as  well  as 
ours,"  cried  one. 

"  I  tell  you  I  don't  care !"  he  shouted  back, 
with  a  fearful  oath ;  "  we're  behind  time,  and 
I'll  lose  my  place  if  I  don't  make  it  up.  I'll 

get  you  to  C by  half -past  five,  or  land  you 

in  h — 11,  I  don't  care  which." 

"  O  my  children,  my  poor  little  children !" 
cried  the  mother,  clasping  her  babe  closer  to 
her  breast  and  bursting  into  tears.  Then,  in 


32  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

a  sort  of  desperation,  she  thrust  her  head  out 
of  the  window  and  shrieked  to  the  man,  "  For 
the  love  of  Heaven,  driver,  have  mercy  on  my 
poor  babes !" 

The  man  was  probably  a  father,  for  that 
appeal  reached  his  heart,  hardened  as  it  was : 
there  was  instantly  a  very  sensible  diminution 
of  their  fearful  velocity,  though  the  stage  still 
rolled  on  at  a  dangerously  rapid  rate ;  keeping 
them  all  in  terror  until  at  length  it  drew  up 
before  the  door  of  a  tavern ;  where  they  were 
to  halt  for  their  supper. 

The  gentlemen  made  haste  to  alight.  Mr, 
Lord  handed  out  Mildred,  then  the  mother 
and  her  children. 

"  You  must  be  very  tired,  ladies,"  he  said, 
following  them  into  the  parlor  of  the  inny 
which  was  very  plainly  furnished  with  rag 
carpet,  wooden  chairs  and  settee,  and  green 
paper  window-blinds,  nothing  tasteful,  noth 
ing  inviting,  except  an  appearance  of  order 
and  cleanliness. 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  am  dreadfully  tired,"  the  strange 
lady  answered,  dropping  into  a  chair  and  set 
ting  her  babe  on  her  knee,  while  she  drew 
the  older  child  to  her  side  and  wiped  the 
tears  from  its  cheeks,  for  it  was  sobbing  piti 
fully;  "that  was  a  fearful  ride,  the  jolting 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  33 

and  shaking  were  bad  enough,  but  the  fright 
was  ten  times  worse.  And  we're  almost 
starved,"  she  added.  "My  little  Mary  is  cry 
ing  with  hunger.  I  hope  they'll  give  us  time 
to  eat  here.  Do  you  know,  sir,  how  soon  the 
stage  starts  on  again  ?" 

"  I  will  step  out  and  inquire ;  also  how  soon 
the  supper  will  be  ready,"  Mr.  Lord  said,  mov 
ing  toward  the  door. 

"  Can  I  do  anything  for  you,  Miss  Mil 
dred  ?"  he  asked,  pausing  upon  the  threshold. 
"You  are  looking  wretchedly  pale  and  fa« 
tigued,"  he  added,  in  a  tone  of  concern. 

The  other  gentlemen  had  gone  to  the  bar* 
room ;  but  at  this  moment  Blake  came  to  a 
window  of  the  parlor,  looking  out  upon  a  porch 
which  ran  along  the  whole  front  of  the  house. 
He  looked  red  and  angry. 

"  It  seems  the  same  game  is  to  be  repeated 
here,"  he  said,  addressing  Mr.  Lord ;  "  the  sup 
per  is  not  ready  and  the  stage  will  leave  in 
half  an  hour.  There  is  every  appearance  of 
rain. too;  the  night  will  be  cloudy  and  dark, 
making  travel  over  these  mountains  doubly 
dangerous.  I  propose  that  we  all  decide  to 
remain  where  we  are  over  night  and  let  the 
stage  go  empty.  If  the  whole  party  will  agree 
in  doing  so,  'twill  serve  the  rascal  right,  and 


34  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

perhaps  teach  him  a  useful  and  much  needed 
lesson.  What  do  you  say,  sir  ?  you  and  your 
—daughter  ?" 

"My  lady  friend,"  stammered  Mr.  Lord, 
coloring  violently.  "  What  do  you  think  of 
the  plan,  Miss  Mildred  ?" 

"  Her  cheek,  too,  flushed  a  rosy  red  as  she 
answered  eagerly :  "  Oh,  let  us  stay,  by  all 
means !  I'm  sure  it  would  be  better  a  great 
deal,  than  risking  our  lives  on  such  roads  at 
night." 

"  Just  what  I  think,"  said  the  other  lady, 
"and  my  little  ones  are  too  tired  to  travel 
any  farther  to-night.  I  shall  stay  whether  the 
rest  do  or  not.  I  intend  that  the  children  and 
I  shall  have  a  chance  to  eat  one  full  meal  at 
any  rate,"  she  added  to  Mildred,  as  the  gen 
tlemen  walked  away  together. 

The  call  to  supper  followed  almost  imme 
diately  upon  the  announcement  that  no  one 
would  leave  in  the  stage  that  night. 

With  the  keen  appetites  they  brought  to  it, 
our  travellers  found  the  fare  excellent — good 
bread  and  butter,  baked  potatoes,  ham  and 
fresh-laid  eggs. 

Mr.  Lord,  seated  between  the  two  ladies, 
was  very  kind  and  attentive  to  both,  but  as 
usual  did  some  absurdly  absent-minded  things. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  35, 

"  Do  you  really  prefer  salt  to  sugar  in  your 
coffee,  Mr.  Lord  ?"  asked  Mildred  demurely  r 
but  with  a  mischievous  twinkle  in  her  eye,  as 
she  saw  him  draw  the  salt-cellar  toward  him 
and  dip  his  teaspoon  into  it. 

She  had  stayed  his  hand  just  in  time.  "  Oh 
no,  certainly  not,"  he  said,  laughing  to  cover 
his  confusion  as  he  hastily  emptied  the  spoon 
into  his  saucer.  "  It  is  a  very  pleasant  even 
ing,"  he  remarked,  sugaring  his  potato. 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?"  said  Mildred,  listen* 
ing  to  the  dash  of  the  rain  against  the  window^ 
for  the  threatened  storm  had  come.  "  Then  I 
suppose,  like  the  Shepherd  of  Salisbury  Plains, 
you  are  pleased  with  whatever  kind  of  weather- 
is  sent  ?" 

"  Certainly  we  all  should  be,"  he  said. 
"  But  I  was  not  aware  till  this  moment  that 
it  was  raining." 

Mildred  presently  becoming  interested  in- 
some  talk  going  on  between  her  opposite 
neighbors,  had  for  the  moment  almost  for 
gotten  Mr.  Lord's  existence.  She  was  recalled 
to  it  by  a  hasty  movement  on  his  part.  He 
suddenly  pushed  back  his  chair,  rose,  and 
walked  out  of  the  room. 

A  glance  at  his  saucer,  half  full  of  coffee,, 
then  at  the  laughing  eyes  of  the  other  lady,, 


.36  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

enlightened    our  heroine   as  to  the  cause  of 
his  sudden  exit. 

"  Salted  coffee  is  not,  I  find,  particularly 
palatable,"  he  remarked,  coming  back  and  re 
suming  his  seat.  "  I  am  a  sadly  absent-minded 
person,  Miss  Mildred  ;  you  should  watch  over 
me  and  prevent  such  mistakes,  as  my  mother 
does  at  home." 

"  I  really  do  not  feel  equal  to  so  arduous  an 
undertaking,"  was  her  sprightly  rejoinder. 

"  This  is  a  lonely  spot,  not  another  house 
in  sight,  they  say,"  remarked  the  mother  of 
the  children  to  Mildred,  as  they  returned  to 
the  parlor.  "I  am  timid  about  sleeping  alone 
in  a  strange  place,  and  should  like  to  have  a 
room  adjoining  yours,  if  you  do  not  object, 
are  not  afraid  of  being  so  near  a  lioness  and 
her  cubs,"  she  added,  with  a  slight  laugh.  "  I 
am  Mrs.  Lyon." 

"  Mildred  gave  her  name  in  return,  and  ex 
pressed  entire  acquiescence  in  the  proposed 
arrangement,  and  being  much  fatigued  with 
their  journey  they  presently  retired. 

They  were  up  and  dressed  betimes  to  make 
sure  of  their  breakfast  before  the  early  hour 
at  which  the  stage  was  to  leave.  But  they 
were  treated  to  a  repetition  of  former  ex 
periences.  The  meal  was  delayed,  and  they 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  37 

had  been  scarcely  ten  minutes  at  the  table 
when  they  heard  the  roll  and  rumble  of  the 
wheels  and  the  loud  "  Toot,  toot !"  of  thfr 
driver's  horn,  as  the  stage  swept  round  from 
the  stables  and  drew  up  before  the  tavern  door. 

There  was  a  hasty  swallowing  down  of  an 
other  mouthful  or  two,  a  hurried  scramble 
for  hats,  bonnets,  and  parcels,  a  crowding  into 
the  vehicle,  and  in  a  moment  more  it  was  toil 
ing  up  the  mountain  side. 

The  appetite  of  no  one  of  the  party  had. 
been  fully  satisfied,  and  there  was  a  good  deal 
of  grumbling  and  complaining  from  this  one 
and  that. 

"  I  tell  you,  friends,"  said  Blake,  "  it  is  high- 
time  there  was  a  stop  put  to  this  thing.  I 
have  an  idea  in  my  head,  and  at  the  next 
stopping  place,  if  we  are  hurried  off  in  the 
usual  style,  I  want  you  all  to  follow  my  ex 
ample.  If  you  will,  these  rascally  fellows  will 
find  themselves  outwitted." 

"What  is  it?" 

"  "What's  your  plan  ?"  queried  one  and  an 
other,  but  the  only  answer  was,  "Wait  and 
you  will  see,  gentlemen." 

"There  is  one  thing  I  have  thought  of," 
Mrs.  Lyon  said  to  Mildred,  "  I'll  have  my  own 
and  the  children's  bonnets  on  always  before 


38  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

we  are  called  to  the  meals.  If  there  should 
be  some  soiling  of  ribbons,  it  will  be  better 
than  going  hungry." 

This  driver  was  sober  and  quiet ;  the  ride,  in 
consequence,  less  trying  than  that  of  the  pre 
vious  afternoon.  Between  twelve  and  one 
they  halted  for  dinner  at  another  country 
inn. 

There  was,  as  usual,  a  little  waiting  time, 
then  they  sat  down  to  an  abundant  and  very 
inviting  meal,  but  had  not  half  satisfied  their 
^appetites  when  roll  of  wheels  and  toot  of 
horn  again  summoned  them  to  resume  their 
journey. 

Every  eye  in  the  party  turned  upon  Blake. 
He  sprang  up  instantly,  seized  a  roast  chicken 
by  the  leg  with  one  hand,  his  hat  in  the  other, 
and  ran  for  the  stage. 

"  All  right !"  cried  Grey,  picking  up  a  pie. 
"  I'll  send  the  plate  home  by  the  driver,  land 
lord,"  he  shouted  back,  as  he,  too,  darted  from 
the  door. 

Looking  on  in  dumb  astonishment,  the  land 
lord  saw  bread,  rolls,  butter,  pickles,  cheese, 
and  hard-boiled  eggs  disappear  in  like  manner, 
and  before  he  could  utter  a  remonstrance  the 
«tage  was  whirling  away  down  the  mountain, 
not  a  passenger  left  behind,  nor  nearly  so 


MILDEED  AND  ELSIE.  39 

much  food  as  would  have  remained  had  they 
been  permitted  to  finish  their  meal  at  the 
table. 

"  Outwitted  this  time,  sure  as  I'm  born !" 
he  muttered  at  length,  turning  back  into  the 
deserted  dining-room  and  ruefully  eying  his 
despoiled  board. 

His  wife  came  hurrying  in  from  the 
kitchen. 

"  So  they're  off,  and  we'll  have  our  dinner 
now.  But,"  and  she  stared  aghast  at  an 
empty  platter.  "  I  say,  Jones,  where  is  that 
chicken  ?  Didn't  I  tell  you  that  was  for  our 
selves,  and  you  wasn't  to  put  a  knife  into 
it?" 

"  Neither  I  did,"  he  answered  half  savagely  > 
"  and  it's  all  the  worse  for  us,  seein'  they've 
carried  it  off  whole,  and  if  I'd  a  cut  it  there 
might  a  ben  part  left  on  the  plate." 

"Carried  it  off!"  she  cried.  "Well,  I 
never !  and  it  was  the  nicest,  fattest,  tenderest 
bit  of  a  spring  chicken  ever  you  see !" — and 
with  a  groan  she  began  gathering  up  the 
empty  dishes. 

"  Take  that  newspaper  out  of  my  coat 
pocket  and  spread  it  over  my  knees,  won't 
you,  Grey?"  said  Blake,  the  moment  they 
were  fairly  seated  in  the  stage.  "  Now  your 


40  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

jack-knife,  please,  and  I'll  carve  this  fowl.  1 
fear  it'll  not  be  very  scientifically  dismem 
bered,"  he  went  on,  when  his  requests  had 
been  complied  with,  "but  sufficiently  so  to 
enable  me  to  make  a  tolerably  equal  distribu 
tion.  "What  is  your  choice,  ma'am  ?"  address 
ing  Mrs.  Lyon. 

The  result  of  their  coup  cPetat  was  a  very 
comfortable,  enjoyable  meal  seasoned  with 
many  a  merry  jest  over  the  discomfiture  of 
the  foe,  and  the  makeshifts  they  themselves 
were  put  to  for  lack  of  the  usual  table  ap 
pliances. 


CHAPTER  IY. 

*'  Alas!  my  lord,  if  talking  would  prevail, 
I  could  suggest  much  better  arguments 
Than  those  regards  you  throw  away  on  me, 
Your  valor,  honor,  wisdom,  prais'd  by  alL 
But  bid  physicians  talk  our  veins  to  temper 
And  with  an  argument  new-set  a  pulse, 
Then  think,  my  lord,  of  reasoning  into  love." 

YOUNG. 

BY  the  time  they  reached  Lansdale,  Mildred 
was  weary  enough  to  be  very  glad  of  a  few 
days'  rest;  rest  whose  delights  were  doubled 
and  trebled  by  being  taken  in  the  society  of 
her  dear  old  aunt. 

The  travellers  were  received  with  the  warm 
est  of  welcomes,  Mildred  embraced  over  and 
over  again,  and  Mr.  Lord  repeatedly  and 
heartily  thanked  for  bringing  her. 

"  Dear  child,  how  you  are  improved !"  Aunt 
"Wealthy  said  the  first  moment  they  found 
themselves  alone  together. 

"Have  I  grown,  auntie?"  Mildred  asked 
with  an  arch  smile,  laying  two  shapely,  soft 
white  hands  on  the  old  lady's  shoulders  and 
gazing  lovingly  into  her  eyes,  as  they  stood 
facing  each  other  on  the  hearth-rug  in  front  of 


42  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

the  open  fire-place  in  Miss  Stanhope's  cosey  sit 
ting-room  ;  for  it  was  a  cool  rainy  evening,  and 
the  warmth  of  a  small  wood  fire  blazing  and 
crackling  there  was  by  no  means  unpleasant. 

"Not  in  height,  Milly,"  Miss  Stanhope  an 
swered,  giving  the  young  girl  a  critical  survey, 
"  nor  stouter  either ;  but  your  form  has  devel 
oped,  your  carriage  is  more  assured  and  grace 
ful,  your  dress  has  a  certain  style  it  lacked 
before,  and —  But  I  must  not  make  you 
vain,"  she  added,  breaking  off  with  her  low 
musical  laugh.  "  Come  tell  me  all  about  your 
uncle  Dinsmore  and  his  family." 

"  And  little  Elsie,  the  sweet  darling !"  sighed 
Mildred.  "Aunt  Wealthy,  she  is  a  perfect 
little  fairy :  the  sweetest,  most  beautiful  creat 
ure  you  ever  laid  eyes  on." 

"  Ah !  I  only  wish  I  could  lay  eyes  on  her," 
the  old  lady  rejoined.  "Does  she  resemble 
her  father  in  looks  ?" 

"  Not  in  the  least :  she  is  said  to  be  the  image 
of  her  mother ;"  and  from  that  Mildred  went 
on  to  dwell  with  minuteness  and  enthusiasm 
on  all  the  charms  of  the  little  one,  arousing  in 
her  companion  a  very  strong  desire  to  see  and 
know  Elsie  for  herself. 

That  subject  pretty  well  exhausted,  Mildred 
could  talk  of  something  else,  and  found  a  great 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  43 

deal  to  tell  about  the  other  Dinsmores,  her 
own  experiences  in  the  South,  and  the  inci 
dents  of  her  late  journey. 

They  had  seated  themselves  on  a  sofa.  Mr. 
Lord,  suffering  from  an  attack  of  sick  head 
ache,  had  retired  to  his  own  apartment  directly 
after  tea,  leaving  them  to  the  full  enjoyment 
of  each  other. 

.  "And  have  you  come  back  heart  whole, 
Milly,  my  dear  ?"  asked  the  old  lady,  smiling 
into  the  eyes  of  her  young  relative  and  softly 
stroking  the  hand  she  held. 

The  question  brought  a  vivid  blush  to  the 
fair  young  face. 

"  Excuse  me,  dear  child ;  I  do  not  wish  to 
pry  into  your  secrets,"  Aunt  "Wealthy  hastened 
to  say. 

"No,  no,  auntie  dear,  I  do  not  consider  it 
prying,  or  wish  to  keep  my  affairs  from  your 
knowledge.  You  and  mother  are  the  two  I 
wish  to  confide  in  and  consult." 

And  with  many  blushes,  sighs,  and  now  and 
then  a  few  quiet  tears,  Mildred  poured  out  the 
whole  story  of  Charlie  Landreth's  and  her  own 
love  for  each  other,  and  the  barrier  between 
them  :  Aunt  Wealthy  listening  with  deep  inter 
est  and  heartfelt  sympthy. 

"  Don't  despair,  dear  child,"  she  said,  caress- 


44  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

ing  the  narrator  in  tender,  motherly  fashion, 
"  and  don't  give  him  up.  "We  will  join  our 
prayers  in  his  behalf,  and  the  Lord  will,  in  his 
own  good  time,  fulfil  to  us  his  gracious  prom 
ise  to  those  who  agree  together  to  ask  a  boon 
of  him." 

'•  Yes,  auntie,  I  do  believe  he  will,"  Mildred 
responded,  smiling  through  her  tears,  "if  we 
pray  in  faith ;  for  in  asking  for  the  conversion  of 
a  soul  we  shall  certainly  be  asking  that  which 
is  agreeable  to  his  will.  And  yet — O  auntie  I 
it  may  be  long  years  before  our  prayers  receive 
the  answer,  and  I — I  may  never  see  him 
again !" 

"'Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow 
me  all  the  days  of  my  life,' "  repeated  Miss 
Stanhope  in  low,  soft  tones.  "  Milly  dear,  try 
to  leave  the  future  in  the  hands  of  Him  who 
has  said,  '  I  have  loved  thee  with  an  everlast 
ing  love ;  I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake 
thee.' " 

Both  mused  in  silence  for  a  little ;  then  Miss 
Stanhope  said,  turning  with  a  slight  smile  to 
ward  her  young  relative,  "Milly,  child,  you 
are  very  attractive  to  the  other  sex." 

Mildred  colored  and  looked  down.  "Aunt 
Wealthy,"  she  said,  "I  hope  you  do  not  think 
me  a  coquette  ?" 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  45 

"  No,  child,  no !  I'm  quite  sure  you  are  too 
kind-hearted  to  enjoy  giving  pain  to  any  living 
creature." 

"  That  is  true,  auntie ;  and  for  that  reason  I 
wish  none  would  care  for  me  in  that  way  but 
the  one  I  can  care  for  in  return." 

"Yes,  and  therefore  I  wish" — Miss  Stan 
hope  paused,  then  in  answer  to  Mildred's  in 
quiring  look  concluded  her  sentence — "  that 
some  other  escort  had  been  found  for  you." 

Mildred's  cheek  crimsoned.  "  Aunt  Weal 
thy  !"  she  exclaimed,  "  do  you — do  you  really 
think  he  cares  for  me  in  that  way?  Oh  I 
hope  not.  Aunt  Dinsmore  said  something  of 
the  sort,  but  I  hoped  she  was  mistaken." 

Miss  Stanhope's  only  answer  was  a  meaning 
smile  and  a  slight  shake  of  the  head. 

"  Then,  Aunt  Wealthy,  you  must  help  me  to 
avoid  being  left  alone  with  him !"  cried  Mil 
dred  in  a  tone  of  apprehension  and  annoyance ; 
""•  and  I  do  hope  there  will  always  be  other  pas- 
gjiigers  in  the  boats  and  stages,  so  that  he  will 
have  no  chance  to  say  a  word." 

"  I'll  do  what  I  can,  child ;  cling  as  close  to 
me  as  you  will,  but  you  may  rest  assured  ho 
is  bound  to  speak  and  have  it  out  with  you, 
sooner  or  later." 

"He  shall  not  if  I  can  prevent  him.     How 


46  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

can  he  be  so  extremely  silly!  But  indeed^ 
Aunt  Wealthy,  I  think  you  must  be  mistaken- 
He  surely  has  too  much  sense  to  fancy  me." 

"  You  won't  be  rude,  Milly  ?  you  won't  for 
get  the  respect  due  to  him  as  your  minister  ?" 

"  Not  if  I  can  help  it.  Aunt  Wealthy,  you 
must  help  me  by  not  leaving  us  alone  together 
for  a  single  moment." 

"  But,  my  dear,  how  are  my  household  af 
fairs  to  be  attended  to  ? " 

"  When  we  are  all  together  and  you  want  to 
leave  the  room,  just  clear  your  throat  and  give 
me  a  look,  and  I'll  go  first.  Then  you  can 
readily  excuse  yourself  on  the  plea  of  domes 
tic  matters  calling  for  your  attention ;  and  he 
may  amuse  himself  with  a  newspaper  or  a  book 
until  we  rejoin  him." 

Miss  Stanhope  laughingly  agreed  to  the 
proposed  programme,  and  they  carried  it  out 
during  the  whole  visit. 

Mr.  Lord  was  very  desirous  to  see  Mildred 
alone,  but  found  every  effort  to  that  end  frus 
trated.  Miss  Stanhope  seemed  always  in  the 
way,  and  Mildred  would  accept  no  invitation 
to  walk  or  drive  unless  her  aunt  was  included 
in  it.  He  had  formerly  considered  the  aunt 
quite  a  charming  old  lady,  but  changed  his 
opinion  somewhat  at  this  particular  time. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  47 

**  Though  undoubtedly  a  most  excellent  woman, 
and  without  a  superior  as  a  hostess,  it  was  a 
decided  bore  to  have  to  listen  to  and  answer 
her  talk  when  he  was  longing  for  a  private 
chat  with  Mildred." 

He  bore  the  trial  with  what  patience  he 
might,  comforting  himself  with  the  hope  of  a 
favorable  opportunity  for  his  wooing  some 
where  on  the  journey  from  Lansdale  to  Pleas 
ant  Plains. 

Mildred  was  dreading  the  same  thing,  and 
fully  resolved  to  prevent  it  if  possible.  There 
fore,  when  the  stage  drew  up  for  them  at  Miss 
Stanhope's  gate,  it  was  with  very  different 
feelings  they  perceived  that  it  already  con 
tained  several  passengers. 

"Safe  for  the  present,  auntie,"  whispered 
the  young  girl,  as  they  folded  each  other  in  a 
last,  lingering  embrace. 

"You  can't  expect  to  be  BO  fortunate  aL 
ways,"  returned  the  old  lady  in  the  same  low 
key,  and  with  a  humorous  look.  "Be  sure 
to  let  me  have  the  whole  story  in  your  next 
letter." 

It  was  staging  all  the  way  now.  Sometimes 
they  travelled  day  and  night ;  sometimes  stopped 
for  a  few  hours'  rest  and  sleep  at  a  wayside  inn. 
It  was  on  Monday  morning  they  left  Lansdale, 


48  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

and  the  journey  was  not  completed  until  Sat 
urday  noon. 

Through  all  the  earlier  part  of  the  route 
they  had  plenty  of  company,  the  stage  being 
always  pretty  well  filled,  if  not  crowded. 
Most  of  their  fellow-travellers  proved  intelligent 
and  agreeable,  some,  both  ladies  and  gentlemen 
remarkably  so;  and  the  tedium  of  the  way 
was  beguiled  by  talk,  now  grave,  now  gay,  and 
embracing  a  wide  range  of  topics. 

On  one  occasion  a  discussion  arose  on  the 
propriety  and  lawfulness  of  intermarriage  be 
tween  Christians  and  worldlings.  Some  took 
the  ground  that  it  was  a  mere  matter  of  choice ; 
others  that  it  was  both  dangerous  and  sinful 
for  a  follower  of  Christ  to  marry  any  other  than 
a  fellow-disciple,  or  one  who  was  esteemed  such. 

Of  these  latter  Mr.  Lord  was  one  of  the 
strongest  and  most  decided  in  the  expressions 
of  his  sentiments  and  convictions,  quoting  a 
number  of  passages  of  Scripture  to  sustain  his 
views. 

During  the  whole  of  the  conversation  Mildred 
was  a  silent  but  deeply  interested  listener, 
her  heart  sinking  more  and  more  with  each 
word  uttered  by  Mr.  Lord ;  for  as  her  pastor 
and  spiritual  instructor,  his  expressed  convic 
tions  of  truth  carried  great  weight  with  her, 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  49 

and  seemed  to  widen  the  gulf  between  herself 
and  him  who  was  the  choice  of  her  heart. 

Her  only  comfort  was  the  hope  that  some  day 
the  barrier  might  be  removed ;  but  ah !  many 
long  years  might  intervene,  and  who  should 
say  that  in  the  mean  time  Charlie  would  not 
grow  disheartened  and  weary  of  waiting ;  or, 
incredulous  of  the  love  that  could  keep  him 
waiting,  allow  some  other  to  usurp  her  place 
in  his  affections  ? 

These  were  depressing  thoughts,  and  through 
out  the  remainder  of  the  journey  they  filled 
Mildred's  mind  almost  constantly.  It  was  only 
by  a  determined  effort  that  she  could  shake 
them  off  and  talk  of  other  things. 

In  the  course  of  that  day  and  the  next, 
which  was  Friday,  the  other  passengers  drop 
ped  off  one  by  one,  until,  to  her  dismay,  she 
found  herself  alone  with  Mr.  Lord  for  the  first 
time  since  they  had  left  Lansdale. 

The  last  to  leave  them  was  an  elderly  lady 
who  had  been  occupying  the  back  seat  along 
with  Mildred  since  the  stage  had  started  that 
morning.  "When  it  drew  up  before  her  door, 
Mr.  Lord  alighted  and  politely  handed  her  out. 
On  getting  in  again,  instead  of  resuming  his 
former  seat,  he  took  the  one  she  had  just 
vacated. 


£0  MILDBED  AND  EL81E. 

Mildred's  heart  gave  a  throb  and  the  color 
rushed  over  her  face,  for  she  foresaw  what 
would  follow.  Still  she  would  foil  him  if  pos 
sible,  and  perhaps  their  numbers  might  be 
presently  again  augmented  as  they  rolled  on 
ward. 

With  that  last  thought  in  his  mind  also,  the 
gentleman  was  disposed  to  seize  his  opportunity 
instantly.  He  cleared  his  throat,  turned  to  his 
•companion,  and  opened  his  lips ;  but  with  her 
back  toward  him  she  was  gazing  eagerly  from 
the  window. 

"  Look,  look  at  those  maples !"  she  cried ; 
"was  there  ever  more  gorgeous  coloring? 
How  perfectly  lovely  the  woods  are !  And  the 
weather  is  delightful  to-day.  October  is  the 
pleasantest  month  of  the  year  for  travelling,  I 
think." 

"Any  month  and  any  weather  would  be 
pleasant  to  me  with  you  for  my  companion," 
he  said,  "  and  nothing,  my  dearest  girl,  could 
make  me  so  supremely  happy  as  to  secure  you 
as  such  for  the  whole  journey  of  life." 

She  feigned  not  to  have  heard  or  fully  un 
derstood.  "  I  for  one  have  travelled  quite  far 
enough,"  she  responded,  still  keeping  her  face 
toward  the  window.  "  I'm  tired  cf  it,  and  of 
being  so  long  away  from  the  dear  home-circle* 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  51 

Oh,  I  am  so  glad  that  I  shall  be  with  them  to 
morrow,  if  all  goes  well !" 

"  God  grant  it,  dear  Mildred ;  I  shall  rejoice 
in  your  happiness  and  theirs,  but — " 

"Oh  see!"  she  interrupted,  pointing  to  a 
group  of  trees  near  the  roadside,  "  what  bril 
liant  reds  and  yellows !  And  there !  what  a 
beautiful  contrast  those  evergreens  make !" 

"  Yes ;  God's  works  are  wonderful  and  his 
ways  past  finding  out,"  he  answered  devoutly, 
then  kept  silence ;  while  for  some  minutes 
Mildred  rattled  on,  hardly  knowing  or  caring 
what  she  was  saying  so  she  might  but  avoid 
the  necessity  of  listening  to  and  answering  the 
proposal  he  was  evidently  so  desirous  to  make^ 

But  his  silence  disconcerted  her,  he  did  not 
seem  to  hear  her  remarks,  and  at  length  she 
found  herself  too  much  embarrassed  to  continue 
them.  For  five  minutes  neither  spoke,  then 
he  made  her  a  formal  offer  of  his  heart  and 
hand,  which  she  gently  but  decidedly  declined, 
saying  she  felt  totally  unfit  for  the  position 
he  would  place  her  in. 

He  said  that  in  that  he  could  not  agree  with 
her ;  he  had  never  met  any  one  who  seemed 
to  him  so  eminently  fitted  for  the  duties  and 
responsibilities  he  had  asked  her  to  assume. 
"  And  he  loved  her  as  he  never  had  loved  and 


52  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

never  could  love  another.  "Would  she  not  re 
consider  ?  Would  she  not  be  persuaded  ?" 

She  told  him  she  highly  esteemed  him  as  a 
man  and  a  minister,  that  she  felt  greatly  hon 
ored  by  his  preference,  but  could  not  love  him 
in  the  way  he  wished. 

"  Ah,"  he  said,  "  what  a  sad  blunderer  I  am  ! 
J  see  have  spoken  too  soon.  Yet  give  me  a 
little  hope,  dear  girl,  and  I  will  wait  patiently 
and  do  my  best  to  win  the  place  in  your  heart 
I  so  ardently  covet." 

She  could  not  bring  herself  to  acknowl- 
•edge  that  that  place  was  already  filled,  and  he 
would  not  resign  the  hope  of  finally  winning 
ier. 

During  the  rest  of  that  day  and  the  morning 
of  the  next  he  treated  her  to  frequent,  length 
ened  discourses  on  the  duty  of  every  one  to 
live  the  most  useful  life  possible,  on  the  rare 
opportunities  of  so  doing  afforded  by  the  posi 
tion  of  minister's  wife,  and  on  the  perman 
ence  and  sure  increase  of  connubial  love  when 
founded  upon  mutual  respect  and  esteem, 
till  at  length  a  vague  fear  crept  over  her 
that  he  might  finally  succeed  in  proving  to  her 
that  it  was  her  duty  to  resign  the  hope  that  at 
some  future  day  the  barrier  to  her  union  with 
the  man  of  her  choice  would  be  swept  away. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  gft. 

and  to  marry  him  on  account  of  the  sphere  of 
usefulness  such  a  match  would  open  to  her. 

She  heard  him  for  the  most  part  in  silence, 
now  and  then  varied  by  a  slight  nod  of  acqui 
escence  in  the  sentiments  he  expressed,  yet  even 
from  these  scant  tokens  of  favor  he  ventured 
to  take  courage  and  to  hope  that  her  rejection 
of  his  suit  would  not  prove  final. 

It  was  a  great  relief  to  her  that  they  were 
not  alone  for  the  last  ten  miles  that  lay  be 
tween  them  and  Pleasant  Plains. 


CHAPTER  V. 

i 

"  Nor  need  we  power  or  splendor, 

Wide  hall  or  lordly  dome ; 
The  good,  the  true,  the  tender — 
These  form  the  wealth  of  home." 

MRS.  HALE. 

COULD  that  be  home — that  pretty,  tasteful 
dwelling,  embosomed  in  trees,  shrubs,  and 
vines?  Mildred  was  half  in  doubt,  for  the 
house  itself  seemed  to  have  grown  as  well  as 
the  vegetation  that  environed  it.  But  yes,  the 
stage  was  stopping :  and  there  were  father  and 
Rupert  at  the  gate,  mother  and  the  rest  on  the 
porch ;  every  face  beaming  a  joyous  welcome. 

How  Mr.  Lord  envied  them  as  the  stage 
whirled  him  rapidly  away,  out  of  sight  and 
.hearing  of  the  glad  greetings ! 

"We  will  not  attempt  to  describe  these :  there 
were  close  embraces,  tears  of  joy,  low-breathed 
words  of  tenderness  and  love,  of  gratitude  to 
Him  who  had  preserved  a  beloved  child  in  all 
her  journeyings,  and  brought  her  to  her  home 
again  in  safety  and  health ;  and  there  were 
shouts  of  delight  from  the  little  ones,  to  whom 
it  seemed  half  a  lifetime  since  sister  Milly 
went  away. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  55 

"  How  we  have  missed  you !  and,  oh,  how 
glad  we  are  to  have  you  back  again!"  her 
mother  said,  looking  smilingly  at  her,  but  with 
glistening  eyes. 

"  She's  changed,"  said  Rupert,  regarding  her 
critically  ;  "  she's  prettier  than  ever,  and — and 
something  else." 

Zillah  supplied  the  word — "  More  stylish." 

"  And  you !  why,  you  are  a  young  lady  !"  ex 
claimed  Mildred,  gazing  at  her  in  astonishment. 

"I'm  fifteen,  and  taller  than  you,  I  do  be 
lieve,"  returned  Zillah,  laughing  and  blushing. 

"  And  how  you're  all  grown !"  Mildred  went 
on,  glancing  round  the  circle. 

"  Except  father  and  mother,"  laughed  Ru 
pert.  "  Haven't  I  nearly  caught  up  to  father 
in  height  ?" 

"  So  you  have,  and  I  shall  be  very  proud  of: 
my  big  brother." 

"  Well,  I  declare,  if  you  hain't  come  at  last — 
thought  you  never  was  a  comin' !"  exclaimed  a 
voice  in  Mildred's  rear;  and  as  she  turned 
quickly  about,  a  toil-hardened  hand  seized  hers 
in  a  grasp  that  almost  forced  from  her  a  little 
cry  of  pain. 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  I  have,  and  am  very  glad 
to  find  you  here,  Celestia  Ann.  You  kept 
your  promise." 


56  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  A  heap  better'n  you  did  yours.  Why  you 
stayed  more'n  as  long  agin  as  you  said  you  was 
agoin'  to  when  you  went  off.  Had  a  good 
time  3" 

"  Yes ;  but  I'm  very  glad  to  get  home." 

"So  you'd  ought  to  be.  You  look  right 
down  tired ;  and  I  reckon  you  are  all  that,  and 
hungry,  too.  "Well,  I'll  have  dinner  on  table  in 
about  ten  minutes ;"  and  with  the  last  word  she 
vanished  in  the  direction  of  the  kitchen. 

A  look  of  expectant  delight  was  on  every 
face  of  the  group  about  Mildred  as  the  mother, 
saying,  "Come,  dear  child,  you  will  want  to 
get  rid  of  some  of  the  dust  of  travel,"  led  the 
way  from  the  room,  the  others  all  following. 

"  "Why,  the  house  has  grown  too,"  was  the 
young  girl's  delighted  exclamation,  as  she  was 
ushered  into  an  apartment  she  had  never  seen 
before — large,  airy,  neatly  and  tastefully  though 
inexpensively  furnished ;  white  muslin  curtains 
at  the  windows,  a  snowy  counterpane  on  the 
bed;  everything  new  and  fresh  except  the 
books  in  the  hanging  shelves  on  the  wall,  and 
some  little  ornaments  which  she  recognized  as 
her  own  peculiar  property. 

"  Yes,"  her  father  answered,  smiling  fondly 
upon  her,  "  so  much  so  that  we  shall  now  have 
abundance  of  room,  even  with  our  eldest  girl 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  57 

at  home,  and  we  hope  it  will  be  a  very  long 
while  before  she  will  want  to  run  away  again." 

"  Tes,  indeed,  father  dear,"  she  said,  putting 
her  arms  around  his  neck ;  "  oh,  if  you  only 
knew  how  glad  I  am  to  get  back  !" 

"  This  is  your  room,  Hilly ;  do  you  like  it  ?" 
the  children  were  asking  in  eager  tones. 

"  Yes,  yes,  indeed !  it  is  perfectly  lovely ! 
But,  mother,  it  ought  to  be  yours ;  it  is  larger 
and  cheerier  than  yours." 

"  Ah !  you  are  assuming  to  know  more  than 
you  do,  my  child,"  laughed  Mrs.  Keith.  "  I, 
too,  have  one  of  the  new  rooms — there  are  six 
in  all — and  it  is  in  every  respect  quite  equal  to 
this.  But  make  haste  with  your  toilet,  for  the 
dinner  bell  will  soon  ring." 

They  lingered  at  the  table,  eating  slowly, 
because  there  was  so  much  talking  to  be  done 
— such  pleasant,  cheerful  chat. 

Then  came  the  opening  of  Mildred's  trunk, 
tind  the  distribution  of  the  purchases  she  had 
been  commissioned  to  make,  and  of  her  own 
modest  gifts  to  father,  mother,  brothers,  and 
sisters,  and  the  more  expensive  ones  from. 
Aunt  Wealthy  and  the  Dinsmore  relatives. 
Of  these  last,  little  Elsie's  were  by  far  the 
most  costly  and  valuable. 

The  children  were  wild  with  delight,  the 


68  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

parents  quietly  happy  in  their  pleasure,  and 
gratified  with  the  remembrances  to  them 
selves. 

Mildred  exhibited  her  watch  and  chain, 
calling  forth  exclamations  of  intense  admira 
tion  and  hearty  congratulations. 

"  O  sister  Milly,  how  lovely !"  cried  Zillah ; 
"I  never  saw  anything  so  beautiful,  and  I'm 
so  glad  you  have  it !  I  don't  believe  there's 
another  lady  in  town  who  has  a  gold  watch." 

"No,  I  presume  not,"  returned  Mildred, 
gazing  down  upon  it  with  a  pleased,  but  rather 
absent  look,  "  and  it  is  extremely  pretty ;  yet 
not  half  so  beautiful  as  the  dear  little  giver.'* 
And  then  she  launched  out  into  the  warmest 
of  eulogies  upon  little  Elsie — her  loveliness  of 
both  person  and  disposition. 

"  She  must  have  loads  of  money  to  buy  you 
that  splendid  watch,  and  all  these  things  for 
the  rest  of  us,"  remarked  Cyril. 

"  Yes,  indeed  !  I'd  like  to  be  in  her  place," 
said  Ada. 

"  I  wouldn't,"  said  Mildred ;  "  and  I  don't 
believe  you  would,  Ada,  if  you  quite  under 
stood  her  position." 

"  Why  ?"  the  children  asked,  clustering  close 
about  their  sister,  with  looks  of  surprise  and 
eager  interest ;  "  tell  us  why.  It  must  be  nice- 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  59 

to  be  so  rich ;  to  own  houses  and  lands,  and  all 
sorts  of  things." 

"Do  not  be  too  sure  of  that/'  said  their 
father ;  "  though  poverty  has  its  trials,  wealth 
brings  cares,  and  cannot  of  itself  give  happi 
ness  ;  in  fact,  it  has  sometimes  proved  a  curse 
to  its  possessors.  Remember  our  Saviour  said, 
4  How  hardly  shall  they  that  have  riches  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God.' " 

"  Yes,"  added  Mrs.  Keith ;  "  and  in  another 
place  he  says,  '  Take  heed  and  beware  of  covet- 
ousness ;  for  a  man's  life  consisteth  not  in  the 
abundance  of  the  things  which  he  possesseth.' " 

"But  some  rich  people  are  good,  aren't 
they  ?"  queried  Cyril.  "  I'm  sure  Milly  said 
Elsie  was." 

"  But  she's  just  a  baby  girl,"  put  in  Don, 
"and  maybe  she'll  get  bad  by  the  time  she 
grows  up." 

"  Now,  boys,  keep  quiet,  can't  you  ?  and  let's 
hear  what  Milly's  going  to  tell,"  said  Ada. 

Mildred  glanced  at  the  nearly  emptied  trunk, 
the  piles  of  clothing  on  the  bed  and  chairs,  and 
shook  her  head.  "  Another  time,  children  ;  I 
ought  to  be  putting  these  things  in  place  in 
the  wardrobe  and  bureau." 

"  Oh !  you're  too  tired.  Sit  down  in  the 
rocking-chair  and  rest  while  you  talk,  and  I'll 


60  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

help  you  afterward  to  arrange  your  things," 
Zillah  said;  and  with  a  word  of  thanks  Mildred 
yielded. 

Taking  Annis  on  her  lap,  and  glancing 
with  a  half  smile  from  one  eager,  expectant 
face  to  another,  "  What  would  any  one  of  you 
sell  all  the  rest  for  ?"  she  asked. 

Several  pairs  of  young  eyes  opened  wide 
with  astonishment.  "Why,  Milly,  what  a 
question !"  "  Not  for  anything !"  "  Not  for 
all  the  world !  You  know  we  wouldn't !" 
were  the  answering  exclamations;  and  then 
there  were  loving  looks  exchanged,  and  Don 
gave  Fan  a  hug,  while  Cyril  squeezed  her 
hand  and  patted  Annis  on  her  curly  head. 

"  It  would  be  dreadfully  lonesome  not  to 
have  any  brothers  or  sisters !"  he  said,  with  a 
long-drawn  sigh  of  satisfaction. 

"  Little  Elsie  has  none,"  said  Mildred.  "  But 
what  if  we  had  no  mother,  children  ?" 

"Milly,  don't!  what  makes  you  say  such 
things!"  cried  Fan,  hastily  releasing  herself 
from  Don,  and  running  to  her  mother  to  hide 
her  face  in  her  lap  with  a  half  sob. 

"  No ;  what's  the  use  ?"  Zillah  asked  huskily, 
while  Ada's  eyes  filled  and  the  boys  looked 
distressed,  as  though  the  idea  was  too  painful 
to  contemplate. 


MILDEED  AND  ELSIE.  61 

"  Just  to  convince  you  that  little  Elsie  is  not 
so  much  to  be  envied  by  us.  She  has  no 
mother,  has  never  seen  her  father,  and  does 
not  know  whether  he  loves  her  or  not." 

"Does  she  show  any  desire  to  see  him?" 
asked  Mrs.  Keith,  stroking  Fan's  hair. 

"  Oh  yes,  mother !  yes,  indeed !  She  talks  a 
great  deal  about  him,  often  wishes  he  would 
come  home,  and  is  never  more  interested  than 
when  he  is  the  theme  of  conversation." 

"  1  hope  her  grandfather  and  his  wife  love 
and  fondle  her  ?" 

"Not  at  all ;  they  treat  her  with  almost  un 
varying  coldness  and  neglect !"  Mildred  said, 
her  eyes  sparkling  with  indignant  anger. 

Then  she  went  on  to  tell  of  various  acts  of 
injustice  and  oppression  to  which  the  little 
girl  had  been  subjected  since  her  coming  to 
Roselands,  and  to  give  a  pathetic  description  of 
her  loneliness  and  unsatisfied  yearning  for  the 
love  of  her  kindred.  In  conclusion,  Mildred 
asked,  "  Now  would  any  of  you  change  places 
With  her?" 

"  No,  no,  indeed  we  wouldn't !  Poor  dear 
little  thing!  we're  very  sorry  for  her,"  the 
children  cried  in  chorus. 

"Mother,  mayn't  Elsie  come  here  and  be 
your  little  girl  'long  with  us  ?"  asked  Annis. 


62  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"I  should  gladly  take  her,  darling,  if  I 
could,"  Mrs.  Keith  answered;  "but  she  be 
longs  to  her  father,  and  it  is  he  who  directs 
where  she  shall  live." 

"  Tell  us  some  more,  Milly ;  tell  about  that 
beautiful  Yiamede,"  entreated  Ada,  putting 
an  arm  coaxingly  round  her  sister's  neck. 

"  Some  other  time  ;  but  now  I  must  really 
go  to  work  and  finish  my  unpacking." 

"  "No,  you  must  go  into  another  room  and 
lie  down  for  an  hour  or  two,"  said  her  mother. 
"You  need  rest  and  sleep;  and  your  sisters 
and  I  will  set  things  to  rights  here." 

Mildred  objected.  "Mother,  dear,  I  have 
come  home  to  ease  your  burdens,  not  to  add 
to  them." 

"  And  which  will  you  do  by  wearing  your 
self  out  and  getting  sick  ?"  asked  the  mother,, 
with  a  merry  look  and  smile.  "Set  these 
younger  ones  a  good  example  by  prompt  obe 
dience  to  my  direction.  We  want  you  bright 
for  a  good  long  talk  after  tea." 

"  But,  mother,  you  always  have  so  much  to 
tax  your  time  and  strength,  and — " 

"Run  away  now,  without  another  word," 
was  the  playful  reply.  "  I'm  neither  busy  nor 
tired  this  afternoon." 

So  Mildred  went,  slept  soundly  for  a  couple 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  63 

sof  hours,  and  toward  tea-time  came  down  to 
•the  sitting-room,  looking  quite  rested  and  re 
freshed  ;  very  sweet  and  pretty,  too,  they  all 
thought,  in  new  and  tasteful  attire,  and  with 
her  glossy  brown  hair  becomingly  arranged. 

She  found  her  mother  and  the  older  girls 
sewing. 

"  How  nice  you  look !"  Zillah  said,  surveying 
.her  admiringly.  "  That's  a  lovely  dress,  and 
made  so  prettily !  Will  you  let  me  have  mine 
.made  like  it  ?" 

"Yes,  indeed,  and  help  you  make  it,  too. 
.Mother,  how  have  you  managed  with  the  sew 
ing  while  I've  been  gone  ?" 

"Pretty  well,  Milly.  Zillah  has  become 
^uite  a  needle-woman,  and  Ada  does  remark- 
•ably  well,  too,  considering  her  imperfect  sight. 
Housework  suits  her  best  on  that  account. 
They  are  dear,  helpful  girls — both  of  them." 

"  Milly,  Milly,"  cried  Cyril,  rushing  in  from 
the  grounds,  "  come  and  look  at  our  gardens, 
and  our  hens  and  chickens,  before  it  grows  too 
dark." 

"  The  gardens  aren't  much  to  look  at  no\v," 
laughed  Zillah. 

"  But  she  can  see  pretty  well  what  they  have 
been,  and  we'll  tell  her  the  rest,"  returned, 
Cyril,  leading  the  way. 


64  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  Come,  girls,  we'll  all  go,"  Mrs.  Keith  said, 
folding  up  her  work ;  "  the  rest  of  the  after 
noon  and  evening  shall  be  a  holiday,  in  honor 
of  our  wanderer's  return." 

There  was,  in  truth,  little  to  exhibit  in  the 
gardens  now,  save  a  few  late-blooming  fall 
flowers;  but  Mildred  admired  them,  and  lis 
tened  with  interest  to  the  accounts  given  of 
what  had  been  raised  by  each  little  worker 
during  the  past  spring  and  summer. 

And  there  was  really  a  large  flock  of  fowls, 
all  in  fine  condition,  promising  plenty  of  egga 
and  poultry  even  through  the  cold  winter 
months;  for  Rupert  had  built  a  snug  hen 
house  to  protect  these  feathered  friends  from 
the  inclemency  of  the  weather. 

"  Now  this  way,  Mildred ;  I  want  to  show 
you  the  vines  I've  trained  over  the  front 
porch,"  Rupert  said. 

As  they  stood  looking  at  the  vines,  the  front 
gate  opened  and  shut,  and  a  firm,  elastic  step 
came  quickly  up  the  walk.  Mildred  turned 
and  found  an  old  acquaintance  at  her  side. 

""Wallace — Mr.  Ormsby!"  she  exclaimed,, 
offering  her  hand  in  cordial  greeting,  though 
the  rich  color  surged  over  her  face  with  the 
sudden  recollection  of  his  parting  words,  spo 
ken  a  year  ago. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  65 

"  No ;  keep  to  the  first  name,  please,"  he 
•said  in  an  undertone,  as  he  grasped  her  offered 
hand.  "  Excuse  so  early  a  call,  but  I  did  not 
know  how  to  wait.  It  seems  an  age  since  you 
went  away." 

"  We  are  always  glad  to  see  you,  "Wallace," 
said  Mrs.  Keith.  "  You  must  stay  and  take 
tea  with  us;  it  is  nearly  ready.  Come,  we 
will  all  go  in  now,  for  the  air  is  growing 
chilly." 

Ormsby  was  by  no  means  loath  to  accept  the 
invitation.  Mildred  seemed  to  him  lovelier 
than  ever,  and  his  eyes  were  constantly  seeking 
her  face,  when  politeness  did  not  require  him 
to  look  elsewhere.  Enchanted  anew  by  her 
charms  of  person,  manner,  and  conversation, 
he  lingered  for  an  hour  or  more  after  tea, 
watching,  hoping  for  an  opportunity  to  breathe 
some  words  into  her  ear  which  should  reach 
no  other. 

But  parents,  brothers,  and  sisters  clustered 
about  her,  and  soon  other  neighbors  began  to 
drop  in  to  bid  her  welcome  home — Dr.  Grange 
and  his  daughter,  Clandina  Chetwood  and  her 
brother  Will,  and  one  or  two  others  of  those 
who  were  most  intimate  with  the  family.  Then 
a  look  from  Mr.  Keith  reminding  Wallace  of 


66  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

an  important  paper  which  should  be  drawn  up 
that  evening,  he  took  a  reluctant  leave. 

He  paused  an  instant  at  the  gate  to  glance 
back  regretfully  at  the  brightly  lighted  parlor 
windows  and  the  comfortable-looking  group 
within,  of  which  Mildred  was  the  centre. 

A  tall,  muscular  figure  was  approaching 
from  the  opposite  direction  as  Ormsby,  turning 
away  with  a  sigh,  hurried  down  the  street 
toward  Mr.  Keith's  office.  There  was  an  ex 
change  of  greetings  as  the  two  passed  each 
other.  "  Good-evening,  Mr.  Ormsby."  "  How 
d'ye  do,  Sheriff  ?" — and  each  hastened  on  his 
way. 

The  next  moment  the  tall  man  was  standing 
where  Wallace  had  been  but  now,  gazing  in 
tently  in  at  the  same  group ;  though,  in  truth, 
he  scarcely  saw  any  but  that  central  figure — 
the  graceful,  girlish  form  so  tastefully  attired ; 
the  bright,  sweet  face,  full  of  animation  and 
intellect.  He  could  not  take  his  eyes  from 
her — great,  dark  eyes,  hungry  and  wistful — 
as  for  many  minutes  he  stood  resting  his  left 
hand  on  the  top  of  the  gate,  the  right  arm, 
hanging  at  his  side. 

At  last,  with  a  sigh  that  was  almost  a  groan, 
be,  too,  turned  and  went  on  his  way. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  67 

"  She's  prettier  than  ever — the  sweetest  thing 
alive,"  he  murmured  half  aloud,  "  and  I'll 
never  forgit  how  good  she  was  to  me  in  that 
awful  time  when  even  my  mother  couldn't 
stand  by  me.  But,  for  all  that,  'tain't  no  ways 
likely  she  cares  enough  for  Gote  Lightcap  to 
so  much  as  ask  if  he's  alive  or  no." 


CHAPTER  VL 

"  Ah  me  1  for  aught  that  I  could  ever  read, 
Could  ever  hear  by  tale  or  history, 
The  course  of  true  love  never  did  run  smooth." 

SHAKESPEAKB. 

THE  callers  departed  to  their  own  homes. 
Mr.  Keith  called  the  household  together,  and, 
as  usual,  closed  the  day  with  prayer  and  praise 
and  the  reading  of  the  word  of  God. 

The  good-nights  were  exchanged,  and  pres 
ently  Mildred  sat  alone  in  her  own  room, 
slowly  taking  down  her  wealth  of  rich  brown 
hair,  while  thought,  half  troubled,  half  pleas 
urable,  was  busy  in  her  brain. 

A  gentle  tap  on  the  door,  then  it  was  softly 
opened,  and  her  mother  stood  by  her  side. 

Instantly  the  dreamy  look  left  Mildred's 
eyes,  and  they  were  lustrous  with  love  and  joy 
as  she  lifted  them  to  the  sweet  face  bending 
over  her. 

"  Darling  mother !"  she  cried,  hastening  to 
rise  and  bring  forward  the  easiest  chair  in  the 
room,  "I'm  so  glad  you  have  come.  I  am 
longing  so  for  one  of  our  old  quiet  talks." 

"Ah!  I  knew  it,"  Mrs    Keith  said,  taking 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  QQ 

the  chair ;  "  I  saw  it  in  your  eyes,  dear  child, 
and  am  as  anxious  for  it  as  yourself.  Oh,  it  is 
nice  to  have  you  at  home  again !" 

"And  so  nice  to  be  here.  Mother  dear, 
there  have  been  times  when  I  felt  in  sore  need 
of  your  wise,  loving  counsels." 

Shaking  out  her  abundant  tresses,  she  seated 
herself  on  a  cushion  at  her  mother's  feet  and 
laid  her  head  in  her  lap,  as  she  had  been  wont 
to  do  in  childhood's  days. 

"  Then  I  trust  you  carried  your  perplexities 
to  a  wiser  Friend,  whose  love  is  even  greater 
than  that  of  the  tenderest  mother,"  Mrs.  Keith 
said,  gently  caressing  the  silken  hair  and  the 
blooming  cheek. 

"  Yes,  mother.  Ah !  what  could  I  have  done 
without  that  Friend?" 

Then,  with  blushes  and  tears,  she  poured 
out  the  story  of  her  love,  and  her  refusal  to 
engage  herself,  because  the  chosen  of  her  heart 
was  not  a  Christian  man. 

Mrs.  Keith  was  a  little  surprised,  a  trifle 
disappointed.  "  I  had  almost  set  my  heart  on 
having  Wallace  for  my  future  son-in-law,"  she 
remarked  in  a  playful  tone,  "and  no  such, 
objection  could  be  brought  against  him." 

"No,"  said  Mildred,  half  averting  her  blush 
ing  face;  "he  is  good  and  noble  and  true — a 


70  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

sincere  Christian,  I  do  believe,  and  I  heartily 
respect  and  like  him ;  but,  O  mother !  why  is 
it  that  the  course  of  true  love  never  will  run 
smooth  ?" 

"  I  think  it  does  sometimes ;  at  least  often 
enough  to  prove  the  rule." 

"  I  was  in  hopes  it  might  have  been  out  of 
sight  out  of  mind  with  Wallace,"  Mildred  said 
presently. 

"  No ;  Cupid's  arrow  had  gone  too  deep  for 
that.  But  perhaps  it  may  prove  so  with  the 
other,  and  you  may  yet  learn  to  care  for  poor 
Wallace." 

"No,  mother;  I  am  sure,  quite  sure,  that 
I  can  never  give  him  anything  but  the  sisterly 
affection  that  is  already  his.  Mother,  I  know 
girls  who  think  it  must  be  a  delightful  thing 
to  have  a  number  of  lovers,  but  I  don't  find  it 
so,  there  is  so  much  that  is  painful  and  per 
plexing  connected  with  it." 

"  Perplexing,  my  child!  " 

"Yes,  mother.  Do  you — do  you  think  it 
can  ever  be  the  duty  of  one  who  cannot  marry 
the  man  of  her  choice  to  become  the  wife  of 
another  because  it  will  open  to  her  a  wider 
sphere  of  usefulness  ?" 

"  Why  that  question,  Mildred  ?"  asked  Mrs. 
Keith,  in  grave  surprise. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  71 

"  Because  Mr. — Mr.  Lord  thinks  I  ought — 
that  it  is  my  duty  to — to  marry  him;  and 
though  he  did  not  convince  me,  he — he  made 
me  afraid  it  might  be." 

A  very  mirthful  look  had  come  into  Mrs. 
Keith's  eyes. 

"My  dear,  silly  little  girl,"  she  said,  bend 
ing  down  to  get  a  better  view  of  the  blushing 
face,  "  why  did  you  not  tell  "him  you  are  quite 
unfit  for  the  position  he  offered  you  ?" 

"I  did,  mother,"  Mildred  answered,  with 
sincere  humility,  "  but  he — still  insisted.  He 
has  somehow  formed  a  very  mistaken  opinion 
of  me." 

"That  is  a  pity;  but  we  will  not  let  him 
sacrifice  himself.  I  shall  utterly  refuse  con 
sent,  and  so  will  your  father." 

"But  don't  you  think  him  a  good  man?" 
Mildred  asked,  lifting  her  head  and  gazing 
into  her  mother's  eyes  with  a  look  of  mingled 
relief  and  perplexity. 

"Very  good,  but  very  unsuitable  in  dispo^ 
sition  and  in  years  for  a  husband  for  you,  or 
a  son-in-law  for  me.  His  absent-mindedness 
would  put  a  great  deal  of  cafe  on  your  young 
shoulders.  But,  my  dear  child,  leaving  the 
question  of  his  character  and  suitableness  in 
other  respects  entirely  out  of  sight,  the  fact 


72  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

that  you  prefer  another  is  quite  sufficient  of 
itself  to  make  your  acceptance  of  his  suit  both 
foolish  and  wrong.  Nothing  can  make  it 
right  for  man  or  woman  to  marry  one  while 
his  or  her  heart  turns  more  strongly  to  another. 
As  to  his  argument  that  thus  a  wider  sphere  of 
usefulness  would  be  opened  to  you,  all  I  have 
to  say  is,  that  it  is  not,  cannot  ever  be  right  to 
do  evil  that  good  may  come." 

Mildred  drew  a  long  sigh  of  relief.  "O 
mother,  I  am  so  thankful  that  you  take  that 
view  of  it !  and  I  am  sure  it  is  the  right  one. 
Yon  have  lifted  half  my  load,  but — " 

"  Can  you  not  cast  the  other  half  on  the 
Lord?" 

"I  do  try  to.  But,  mother,  what  do  you 
think  ?  would  it  be  wrong  for  me  to — " 

"  Follow  the  dictates  of  your  heart  ?"  Mrs. 
Keith  asked,  as  Mildred  paused,  leaving  the 
sentence  unfinished.  "My  child,  that  is  a 
question  for  you  to  settle  with  your  own  con 
science.  You  have  God's  holy  word  to  guide 
you,  and  in  answer  to  prayer  he  will  give  you 
the  guidance  of  the  Spirit  also.  I  will  only 
Bay  that  it  cannot  be  other  than  a  dangerous 
experiment  for  a  Christian  to  enter  into  the 
closest  of  earthly  relations  with  one  who  is 
living  for  this  world  alone." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  73 

"  Especially  one  so  weak  and  ready  to  wan 
der  out  of  the  way  as  I,"  sighed  the  young 
girl. 

"  Well,  darling,  you  are  young  enough  to 
wait ;  and  let  us  hope  all  will  come  right  at 
length.  Ah !  we  may  be  sure  of  it,  for  '  we 
know  that  all  things  work  together  for  good 
to  them  that  love  God ;  to  them  who  are  the 
called  according  to  his  purpose.'  But  it  is 
growing  late,  and  you  ought  to  be  resting 
after  your  long  journey."  And  with  a  tender 
good-night  they  parted. 

Mr.  Lord  filled  his  own  pulpit  the  next  day, 
both  morning  and  evening,  preaching  with 
acceptance  to  his  flock. 

Mildred  attended  both  services,  but  carefully 
avoided  meeting  the  speaker's  eye  during  the 
sermon,  and  slipped  out  of  the  church  as 
quickly  as  possible  after  the  benediction  was 
pronounced.  Each  time  she  was  delayed  a 
little  in  her  exit  by  the  necessity  of  stopping 
for  a  shaking  of  hands  and  the  exchange  of  a 
few  words  with  friends  and  neighbors  who 
stepped  forward  to  greet  and  welcome  her 
home ;  but  others  were  crowding  about  the 
minister  with  the  same  kindly  intent,  and  thus 
unconsciously  assisted  in  her  desired  avoidance 
of  him. 


74  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

She  was  little  lees  anxious  to  escape  "Wallace 
Ormsby,  but  in  that  was  not  so  successful :  he 
walked  by  her  side  in  the  morning,  as  far  as 
their  roads  lay  in  the  same  direction ;  yet  as 
Don  held  fast  to  one  of  Mildred's  hands  and 
Fan  to  the  other,  his  talk  was  only  on  topics 
of  general  interest,  the  sermon,  the  Sunday- 
school,  etc. 

In  the  evening,  as  she  stepped  into  the  ves 
tibule,  she  saw  "Wallace  waiting  near  the  outer 
door,  and  read  his  purpose  in  his  eyes.  She 
turned  to  Zillah,  who  was  close  beside  her, 
seized  her  hand,  and,  holding  it  fast,  whis 
pered  in  her  ear,  "  "We'll  walk  home  together. 
Be  sure  to  keep  close  to  me." 

Zillah  nodded  with  a  roguish  smile,  and,  to 
"Wallace's  no  small  annoyance,  did  as  requested. 
Offering  one  arm  to  Mildred,  he  could  do  no 
less  than  ask  Zillah  to  take  the  other,  which 
she  did  with  alacrity.  And  all  the  way  home 
she  kept  up  a  constant  stream  of  talk,  Mildred 
listening  with  inward  amusement,  "Wallace 
wondering  whether  it  was  with  a  purpose,  and 
wishing  she  was  somewhere  out  of  earshot  of 
what  he  wanted  to  say  to  her  sister. 

The  Keiths  neither  paid  nor  received  visits 
on  the  Sabbath :  so  he  bade  the  girls  good 
evening  at  their  father's  door,  and  quietly 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  75 

wended  his  way  to  his  lonely  bachelor  quar 
ters  over  the  office ;  while  the  girls,  listening 
to  his  departing  footsteps,  exchanged  a  few 
words  of  congratulation  on  the  one  side  and 
thanks  on  the  other,  mingled  with  a  little 
girlish  laughter  at  his  expense. 

"  Mother,"  said  Mildred,  as  they  were  about 
separating  for  the  night,  "  I  will  be  up  in  good 
season  to-morrow  morning  and  get  breakfast, 
as  Celestia  Ann  will  of  course  be  busy  with 
her  washing." 

"  Indeed  you'll  do  no  such  thing,"  cried 
Zillah.  "  Ada  and  I  will  get  breakfast  and 
dinner  to-morrow,  and  you're  not  to  so  much 
as  put  your  nose  into  the  kitchen.  You're  to 
play  lady  for  a  week  at  least,  while  you  look 
on  and  see  how  nicely  we  can  manage  without 
you." 

"  I've  played  lady  long  enough,  and — " 

"  Mother,  isn't  it  to  be  as  I've  said  ?"  de 
manded  Zillah,  not  giving  Mildred  time  to 
conclude  her  sentence. 

"  Yes,  Milly,  you  and  I  can  find  enough  to 
do  out  of  the  kitchen  for  the  present,  and  we 
will  let  these  young  cooks  have  a  chance  to 
show  what  they  can  do,"  Mrs.  Keith  said, 
looking  from  one  to  the  other  with  a  proud, 
fond,  motherly  smile. 


76  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  I  like  to  cook,"  put  in  Ada.  "  Millj>,  I 
can  make  nice  cakes  and  desserts ;  they  all  say 
so.  And  Zillah  and  I  made  pickles  and  pre 
serves  this  fall,  mother  only  overseeing  and 
telling  us  how.  Celestia  Ann  wanted  to  turn, 
us  out  of  the  kitchen  and  do  it  all  herself,  but 
mother  said  no — we  must  learn  how." 

Monday  morning  found  the  Keith  house 
hold  like  a  hive  of  cheerful,  busy  bees.  Mrs. 
Keith  and  Mildred,  busied  together  in  the 
dining-room,  washing  and  putting  away  the 
breakfast  china  and  silver,  which  were  never 
allowed  to  go  into  the  kitchen,  laid  plans  for 
the  fall  and  winter  sewing. 

"  I  have  been  learning  to  cut  and  fit, 
mother,"  Mildred  said  ;  "  taking  lessons  of 
one  of  Aunt  Dinsmore's  servants  who  is  excel 
lent  at  it ;  so  now,  if  you  like,  I  shall  fit  all 
the  dresses  of  the  family,  beginning  to-day 
with  Ada's  and  Zillah's  calicoes." 

"I'm  very  glad,  my  dear,"  Mrs.  Keith 
replied,  "for  really  there  is  not  a  competent 
dressmaker  in  town.  But  I  see  I  shall  have 
to  take  care  that  you  do  not  overwork  your 
self,"  she  added,  with  an  affectionate  smile. 

"  Mother,"  said  Zillah,  putting  her  head  in 
at  the  door,  "we're  nearly  out  of  salt  and 
sugar  both.  Who  shall  go  for  them  ?" 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  77 

"  Cyril  and  Don ;  it  is  a  lovely  day,  and 
they  will  enjoy  the  walk.  Mildred,  there  will 
be  some  little  articles  wanted  about  our  dress 
making  ;  suppose  you  go  also  and  select  them. 
The  walk  will  be  good  for  you,  and  you  will 
like  to  see  how  the  town  has  grown  in  your 
absence." 

Fan  and  Annis  put  in  an  eager  plea  to  be 
permitted  to  be  of  the  party. 

Mildred  demurred.  "  I'm  afraid,  Annis,  dar 
ling,  you  can't  walk  fast  enough.  Sister  Milly 
wants  to  come  back  quickly  because  of  the 
sewing." 

o 

"  Never  mind  that ;  we  will  not  deprive  the 
darling  of  so  great  a  pleasure  merely  to  save  a 
few  minutes,"  the  mother  said,  with  a  loving 
smile  at  the  little,  disappointed  face,  which 
instantly  grew  bright  again.  "  Linger  a  little 
on  the  way,  Mildred,  and  enjoy  the  sweet  air 
and  the  beauty  of  the  woods.  These  things 
were  given  for  our  enjoyment." 

"Dearest  mother!  always  so  kind  and 
thoughtful  for  each  one  of  us,"  Mildred  whis 
pered,  bending  over  her  mother's  chair  to  kiss 
the  still  fresh  and  blooming  cheek. 

Mildred  had  returned  to  her  home  entirely 
restored  to  health,  and  full  of  the  old  energy, 
and  with  a  desire  to  accomplish  a  great  deal  in 


78  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

the  way  of  relieving  her  mother's  cares  and 
burdens  and  promoting  the  material  interests 
of  each  member  of  the  family  of  loved  ones. 
She  had  planned  to  do  a  certain  amount  of 
sewing  that  day,  and  was  eager  to  begin ;  but 
she  was  learning  the  difficult  lesson  of  readi 
ness  to  cheerfully  yield  her  own  plans  and 
wishes  to  those  of  others,  remembering  that 
"  even  Christ  pleased  not  himself." 

With  a  face  bright  and  sweet  as  the  lovely 
October  morning  she  made  herself  ready  and 
set  out  on  her  errand ;  Fan  clinging  to  one 
hand,  Annis  to  the  other,  while  the  two  little 
brothers  now  brought  up  the  rear,  now  hast 
ened  on  in  front,  or  trotted  alongside,  as  incli 
nation  dictated. 

"Yonder  comes  the  sheriff;  we'll  meet  him 
in  a  minute,"  said  Cyril  presently. 

"  Who  is  sheriff  now  ?"  asked  Mildred. 

"  Gotobed  Lightcap.  He's  learned  to  write 
with  his  left  hand,  and  they  'lected  him  sheriff 
last  week.  Everybody  voted  for  him  because 
they  were  so  sorry  for  him.  Wasn't  it  nice  ? 
Mother  says  the  folks  in  this  town  are  the 
kindest  people  in  the  world,  she  thinks." 

"Yes,  it  was  nice  and  kind,"  Mildred  re 
sponded,  looking  a  little  curiously  at  the  tall, 
broad-shouldered,  masculine  figure  approach- 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  79 

ing  from  the  opposite  direction.  In  dress,  in 
gait,  in  the  intelligence  of  his  countenance,  ha 
was  an  improvement  upon  the  Gotobed  of  two 
years  ago. 

In  another  moment  they  had  met.  He 
lifted  his  hat  with  his  left  hand  and  bowed  a 
little  awkwardly,  while  a  deep-red  flush  suf< 
iused  his  swarthy  face. 

Mildred  colored  slightly  too,  but  greeted 
him  cordially  and  without  any  other  show  of 
embarrassment,  inquiring  after  his  health  and 
that  of  his  family. 

"  We're  all  as  well  as  common,  thank  ye, 
Miss  Keith,"  he  said,  devouring  her  face  with 
his  eyes,  "  and  I  hope  you're  the  same,  and  as 
glad  to  git  back  as  all  your  friends  is  to  see 

ye." 

"  Thank  you,  I  do  find  it  nice  to  be  at  home 
again,"  she  responded,  bowing  and  passing  on. 

Their  way  lay  past  her  father's  office 
Ormsby,  looking  up  from  the  deed  he  was 
drawing  and  catching  a  glimpse  of  her  grace 
ful  figure  as  it  hurried  by,  sprang  up  and 
stepped  to  the  door  just  in  time  to  see  her  go 
into  Chetwood  &  Mocker's. 

He  was  on  the  watch  for  her  as  she  came 
out  again,  and  waylaid  her  with  an  invitation 
to  drive  out  with  him  that  afternoon. 


80  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said,  with  a  winsome 
smile ;  "  I  fully  appreciate  your  kindness,  but 
— don't  you  think,  after  my  long  vacation,  I 
ought  now  to  stay  at  home  and  work  ?  I  had 
planned  to  do  a  good  deal  of  sewing  to-day." 

"  But  the  weather  is  so  fine,  and  we  ought 
to  take  advantage  of  these  lovely  days,  which 
will  so  soon  be  gone,"  he  said  persuasively. 
"  Let  the  sewing  wait ;  'twill  be  just  the  thing 
for  the  stormy  days  that  will  soon  be  upon  us. 
I  may  come  for  you  ?" 

"  Yes,"  she  answered,  laughing  and  nodding 
good-by. 

Zillah  met  her  at  the  door,  her  eyes  dancing 
with  fun.  "Mr.  Lord's  in  the  parlor  with 
mother,  and  you're  wanted  there  too." 

"  Oh,  dear !"  sighed  Mildred ;  but,  throwing 
off  her  hat  in  the  hall,  she  went  at  once  to 
meet  the  dreaded  ordeal. 

The  gentleman  rose  on  her  entrance,  and 
with  beaming  eyes  and  outstretched  hand  came 
eagerly  forward  to  greet  her.  "  My  dear  Miss 
Mildred,  I  have  been  telling  your  mother  of 
my  plans  and  wishes,  and  asking  her  consent 
and  approval  of  my — the  proposal  I  made  to 
you  the  other  day ;  and — " 

"  And  she  has  declined  to  give  them  ?"  Mil 
dred  said,  allowing  him  to  take  her  hand  for 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  8L 

an  instant,  then  hastily  withdrawing  it,  her 
eyes  seeking  her  mother's  face,  while  her  own 
flushed  crimson. 

"  Yes,  I  have  been  trying  for  the  last  half 
hour  to  convince  Mr.  Lord  how  entirely  unsuit 
able  you  are  for  the  place  and  position  he 
offers  you,"  Mrs.  Keith  answered  in  a  grave, 
quiet  tone.  "Come  and  sit  down  here  by 
me,"  making  room  for  her  on  the  sofa  by  her 
side,  "and  we  will  try  together  to  convince 
him." 

"  That  will '  be  no  easy  task,"  remarked  the 
middle-aged  lover,  as  Mildred  hastened  to  ac 
cept  her  mother's  invitation ;  then,  stand 
ing  before  them  and  fixing  his  eyes  admir 
ingly  upon  the  blushing,  downcast  face  of  the 
maiden,  he  went  on  to  plead  his  cause  with 
all  the  force  and  eloquence  of  which  he  was. 
master. 

He  spoke  very  rapidly,  as  if  fearful  of 
interruption,  and  determined  to  forestall  all 
objections,  Mildred  listening  in  some  embar 
rassment  and  with  much  inward  disgust  and 
impatience. 

These  changed  directly  to  almost  overpow 
ering  mirthfulness,  as  the  man,  perhaps  find 
ing  his  false  teeth,  to  which  he  was  yet  not 
fully  accustomed,  impeding  his  speech  to  some 


$2  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

extent,  in  his  intense  interest  in  his  subject, 
"hardly  conscious  of  the  act,  jerked  them  out, 
twirled  them  about  in  his  fingers  for  an  instant, 
then  with  a  sudden  recollection  thrust  them  in 
again,  his  face  turning  scarlet  with  mortifica 
tion  and  the  last  word  faltering  on  his  tongue. 

Controlling  her  inclination  to  laugh,  Mildred 
seized  her  opportunity.  "  Mr.  Lord,"  she  said, 
with  gentle  firmness,  "  please  do  not  waste  any 
more  words  on  this  subject,  for  I  have  no  other 
answer  to  give  you  to-day  than  that  which  I 
gave  before.  Nor  shall  I  ever  have  any  other. 
I  highly  respect  and  esteem  you,  feel  myself 
greatly  honored  by  your  preference,  but — it  is 
utterly  out  of  my  power  to  feel  toward  you  as 
a  woman  should  toward  the  man  with  whom 
she  links  her  destiny  for  life." 

With  the  last  word  she  rose  and  would  have 
left  the  room,  but  he  intercepted  her.  "  Not 
now,  I  suppose.  Ah,  my  foolish  impatience, 
which  has  a  second  time  betrayed  me !  But  I 
will  wait — wait  years,  if — " 

"  It  is  useless,  quite  useless,  I  assure  you," 
ehe  interrupted,  in  some  impatience.  "To 
convince  you  of  that,  I  will  acknowledge  that 
— that  my  heart  has  already  been  given  to 
another." 

Hiding  her  blushing  face  in  her  hands,  she 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  $3 

hurried  from  the  room,  leaving  to  her  mother 
the  task  of  consoling  the  rejected  suitor. 

Mrs.  Keith  afterward  reported  that  he  stood 
for  a  moment  as  if  struck  dumb  with  sur 
prise  and  dismay;  then  muttering,  ""Wallace 
Ormsby — it  must  be  he,"  was  rushing  bare 
headed  from  the  house,  when  she  called  hinv 
back  and  gave  him  his  hat,  with  a  consolatory 
word  or  two,  which  he  did  not  seem  to  hear, 
as  he  merely  turned  about  without  replying, 
and  walked  rapidly  away  with  the  hat  in  his- 
hand. 

Mildred,  hurrying  to  the  privacy  of  her  own 
room  with  cheeks  aflame  and  an  indignant 
light  in  her  brown  eyes,  found  herself  inter 
cepted  by  Zillah. 

"  Good  girl  not  to  say  yes,"  cried  the  latter 
gayly,  putting  her  arm  round  Mildred's  neck 
and  kissing  her. 

""What  do  you  mean,  Zillah?  You  don't 
know  anything  about  it,"  Mildred  said,  repuls 
ing  her  slightly  and  averting  her  face. 

"  Yes,  I  do.  Mr.  Lord's  been  asking  you  to 
marry  him — I  knew  by  his  looks  that  that  was 
what  he  came  for — and  I'm  glad  you  won't 
have  him.  He's  nice  enough  as  a  minister, 
but  too  old  and  ugly  and  awkward  for  a  hus 
band  for  my  pretty  sister  Milly.  "Wallace 


84  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Ormsby  would  be  far  more  suitable,  in  my 
humble  opinion,"  she  added,  with  a  merry 
twinkle  in  her  deep  blue  eyes. 

Mildred  looked  at  her  and  took  a  sudden 
resolution.  "  Come  in  here,"  she  said,  push 
ing  open  her  room  door.  "Zillah,  can  you 
keep  a  secret  ?'' 

"  Suppose  you  try  me,"  was  the  laughing 
rejoinder. 

"  I  will.     I  am  sure  I  may  trust  you." 

So  Zillah  presently  knew  how  matters  stood 
between  her  sister  and  Charlie  Landreth,  and 
Mildred  felt  that  she  had  another  hearty  sym 
pathizer,  and  was  safe  from  any  more  teasing 
about  "Wallace  Ormsby  from  that  quarter. 

As  for  the  latter,  he  of  course  improved  his 
chance  as  they  drove  together  that  afternoon 
over  the  prairies  and  through  the  beautiful 
autumn  woods ;  and  Mildred  had  the  painful 
task  of  crushing  his  hopes  as  she  had  already 
crushed  those  of  her  older  admirer. 


CHAPTEK  VII. 

"A  mighty  pain  to  love  it  is, 
And  'tis  a  pain  that  pain  to  miss; 
But  of  all  pains,  the  greatest  pain 
It  is  to  love,  but  love  in  vain." 

COVLET. 

"  O  WALLACE,  forgive  me !  !N"ot  for  worlds 
would  I  have  hurt  you  so  if — if  I  could  have 
helped  it."  Mildred's  voice  was  full  of  tears, 
and  she  ended  with  a  sigh  that  was  half  a  sob. 

His  head  was  turned  away  so  that  she  could 
not  catch  so  much  as  a  glimpse  of  his  face. 

"It  is  just  what  I  expected  when  you  went 
away,"  he  answered  huskily;  "but  I  don't 
blame  you.  I've  always  known  I  wasn't  half 
good  enough  for  such  a  girl  as  you." 

"No,  don't  say  that!"  she  cried,  almost  ea 
gerly;  "you  are  good  enough  for  anybody, 
Wallace;  you  are  noble  and  true  and  brave; 
and  father  says  that  with  your  talent  and  in 
dustry  you  are  sure  to  make  your  mark  in  the 
world." 

"  What  do  I  care  for  that  now  ?"  he  returned 
bitterly.  "  You  have  been  my  inspiration,  Mil 
dred  ;  it  was  for  you — to  win  you  and  to  make 
you  rich  and  happy — that  I  have  studied  and. 


-86  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

toiled  and  planned,  and  now  you  are  lost  to 
me !"  he  groaned. 

"  O  Wallace !"  she  murmured  softly,  "  I  had 
.hoped  yours  was  a  higher  ambition — that  you 
had  consecrated  your  time,  talents,  everything, 
to  Him  who  gave  them,  and  whose  love  is  bet 
ter  beyond  comparison  than  any  or  all  earthly 
loves." 

"  You  are  right,"  he  said,  after  a  moment's 
rsilence,  and  his  voice  was  low  and  humble,  "  it 
ought  to  be  so ;  it  shall  be  so  henceforward. 
But — O  Mildred,  Mildred,  what  happiness  can 
'there  be  in  life  without  you !" 

"  I  will  be  your  sister, Wallace ;  I  have  a  real 
.sisterly  affection  for  you." 

"I  ought  to  be  thankful  for  even  that — I 
.shall  be  some  day;  but  O  Mildred!  now  it 
seems  like  giving  me  a  crumb  when  I  am  starv 
ing — so  famished  that  nothing  less  than  a  whole 
loaf  will  relieve  the  dreadful  pain.  And  this 
other  fellow  that  has  won  you  away  from  me — 
will  he — will  he  be  taking  you  away  from  us 
•soon?" 

"  ISTo,  Wallace,  not  soon,  perhaps  never,"  she 
answered  in  low,  quivering  tones. 

He  turned  and  faced  her  with  an  inquiring 
look.  "  I  have  misunderstood.  I  thought  you 
:said  the — the  affection  was  mutual." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  87 

"  I  will  tell  yon  all  about  it,"  she  said  after 
a  moment's  embarrassed  silence.  "I  think  I 
owe  you  the  confidence  as  some  slight  amends 
for  the  pain  I  have  unwillingly  caused  you." 

Then  in  a  few  words  she  told  him  just  how 
matters  stood  between  Charlie  Landreth  and 
herself,  withholding  only  the  name  of  her  fa 
vored  suitor. 

When  she  had  finished,  silence  fell  between 
them  for  many  minutes.  Mildred's  eyes  were 
cast  down,  Wallace's  gazing  straight  before  him 
or  taking  note  of  the  inequalities  of  the  road. 
They  were  nearing  the  town  when  at  last  he- 
spoke  again. 

"I  thank  you  for  your  confidence,  dear  Mil 
dred,  (you  will  let  me  call  you  that  this  once?) 
You  know  I  shall  never  abuse  it.  I  am  sorry 
for  your  sake  that  he  is  not  all  you  could  wish- 
But  don't  let  it  make  you  unhappy.  I  couldn't 
bear  that.  And  I  hope  and  believe  it  will  all 
come  right  in  the  end." 

"Wallace,  how  good  and  noble  you  are!" 
she  cried,  looking  at  him  with  eyes  brimming 
with  tears.  "We  will  always  be  friends — 
good,  true  friends,  shall  we  not?"  she  asked, 
almost  beseechingly,  holding  out  her  hand  to 
him. 

He  caught  it  in  his  and  pressed  it  to  his  lips. 


.88  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

with  a  low,  passionate  cry,  "  O  Mildred !  and 
can  I  never  be  more  than  that  to  you! ' ' 

An  hour  later  Mrs.  Keith  found  her  eldest 
daughter  in  her  own  room,  crying  bitterly. 

"  My  dear  child !  what  is  the  matter  ?"  she 
asked  in  concern. 

"O  mother,  mother,  I  seem  to  have  been 
born  to  make  others  unhappy!"  sobbed  Mil 
dred. 

"  I  have  often  thought  you  were  born  to  be 
the  great  comfort  and  blessing  of  your  mother's 
life,  and  have  thanked  God  with  my  whole 
heart  for  this  his  good  gift  to  me,"  the  mother 
responded,  with  a  loving  caress;  and  a  glad 
smile  broke  like  sunlight  through  the  rain  of 
tears. 

"Mother,  what  a  blessed  comforter  you  are !" 
sighed  Mildred,  resting  her  wet  cheek  on  her 
mother's  shoulder.  "Mother,  Wallace  loves 
me  and  seems  almost  heart-broken  because  I — 
I  cannot  return  it.  And  he  is  such  a  dear, 
noble  fellow,  too — worthy  of  a  far  better  wife 
than  I  would  make !" 

"  We  must  try  to  convince  him  of  that,  and 
make  him  glad  of  his  fortunate  escape,"  Mrs. 
Keith  said  in  her  playful  tone. 

Mildred  laughed  in  spite  of  herself,  but  a 
little  hysterically ;  then  growing  grave  again : 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  89 

"But,  mother,  he  does  really  seem  heart 
broken,  and  it  is  dreadful  to  me  to  have  caused 
such  suffering  to  one  so  deserving  of  happi 
ness." 

"  I  do  not  doubt  it,  my  dear,  and  I  feel  for 
you  both;  but  trouble  does  not  spring  from 
the  ground ;  all  our  trials  are  sent  us,  for  some 
good  purpose,  by  that  best  and  dearest  of  all 
friends,  who  knows  just  what  each  one  of  uf 
needs,  and  never  makes  a  mistake.  I  am  sorrj 
for  you  both,  but  I  do  not  think  either  is  tc 
blame,  and  I  believe  you  will  come  out  of  the 
trial  better  and  happier  Christians  than  you 
would  ever  have  been  without  it. 

"  Now,  dear  child,  I  shall  leave  you,  that  you 
may  be  able  to  spend  a  few  minutes  with  that 
best  Friend  before  joining  us  downstairs.  Try 
to  cast  all  your  care  on  Him,  because  he  bids 
you  do  so,  and  because  it  is  for  your  happi 
ness." 

Mildred  followed  the  kind,  wise  advice; 
then,  having  done  what  she  could  to  remove 
the  traces  of  her  tears,  hastened  to  join  the 
family  at  the  tea-table  in  answer  to  the  bell. 

Her  mother  adroitly  contrived  to  take  the 
attention  of  the  others  from  her,  and  no  one 
noticed  that  she  had  been  weeping. 

The  faces  and  the  chat  were  cheerful  and 


90  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

bright,  as  was  almost  invariably  the  case  in 
that  family  circle,  and  the  joy  of  being  among 
them  again  after  so  long  an  absence  soon  re 
stored  Mildred  to  her  wonted  serenity. 

They  discussed  their  plans  for  study  and 
work  for  the  coming  fall  and  winter  months. 
The  town  was  still  destitute  of  a  competent 
teacher ;  efforts  had  been  made  to  procure  one 
from  the  Eastern  States,  but  as  yet  without 
success ;  therefore  Mildred  proposed  to  resume 
her  duties  as  governess  to  her  younger  brothers 
and  sisters:  she  could  assist  Rupert,  too,  in 
some  branches,  and  wished  to  perfect  herself 
in  some,  and  to  improve  her  mind  by  a  course 
of  reading. 

Then,  as  always,  there  was  the  family  sew 
ing,  beside  various  housekeeping  cares  of  which 
she  desired  to  relieve  her  mother. 

Zillah  listened  with  a  mirthful  look  to  Mil 
dred's  long  list,  and  at  its  conclusion  asked, 
with  a  merry  laugh,  "  Is  that  all,  Milly  ?" 

Mildred  echoed  the  laugh,  and  blushingly 
acknowledged  that  it  was  very  much  easier 
to  plan  than  to  execute,  and  she  feared  she 
should  fall  very  far  short  of  accomplishing  aU 
she  desired. 

"Yes,"  said  her  father,  "but  it  is  best  to  aim 
high,  for  we  are  pretty  sure  never  to  do  more 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  91 

than  we  lay   out  for  ourselves,  or  even  so 
much." 

u  But  if  Milly  undertakes  all  the  work,  father, 
what  are  Ada  and  I  to  do?"  queried  Zillah,  in 
a  sprightly  tone. 

"She'll  be  glad  enough  before  long  to  let 
us  help  with  it,"  remarked  Ada  quietly.  "  If 
she'd  had  breakfast  and  dinner  to  get  to-day 
she  couldn't  have  walked  out  this  morning; 
and  I  don't  think  she  could  have  taken  time  to 
drive  out  this  afternoon  if  she  had  been  the 
only  one  to  help  mother  with  the  sewing." 

"  No,  that  is  quite  true,"  said  Mildred,  smiling 
at  Ada's  serious  face,  "and  I'm  delighted  to 
find  what  helpful  girls  you  two  have  be 
come,  for  there  is  abundance  of  work  for  us 
all." 

"  Enough  to  leave  us  no  excuse  for  idleness," 
added  the  mother,  "  but  not  so  much  that  any 
one  of  us  need  feel  overburdened ;  for  '  many 
hands  make  light  work.' " 

"  Especially  when  the  head  manager  knows 
how  to  bring  system  to  her  aid,"  concluded 
Mr.  Keith,  with  an  affectionate,  appreciative 
glance  at  his  wife. 

"Yes,"  she  rejoined  brightly,  "very  little 
can  be  accomplished  without  that,  but  with  it 
I  think  we  shall  do  nicely." 


92  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

The  little  ones  were  asking  when  lessoni 
were  to  begin. 

"  To-morrow,  if  mother  approves,"  answered 
Mildred. 

Her  father  smiled  approval,  remarking, 
"  Promptness  is  one  of  Mildred's  virtues ;  one 
we  may  all  cultivate  with  profit." 

"  I  quite  agree  with  you,  Stuart,"  Mrs.  Keith 
said,  "and  yet  it  is  sometimes  best  to  make 
haste  slowly.  Mildred,  my  child,  you  have 
had  a  long,  wearisome  journey,  and  may  law 
fully  rest  for  at  least  this  one  week." 

"And  we  all  need  our  new  clothes  made 
up,"  remarked  Ada.  "Mother,  have  Milly 
make  your  black  silk  dress  first." 

Mildred  and  Zillah  chimed  in  at  once,  "  Oh 
yes !  certainly  mother's  dress  must  be  the  very 
first  thing  to  be  attended  to." 

"I  can  fit  it  to-night,"  said  Mildred. 

"  And  I  cut  off  the  skirt  and  run  the  breadths 
together,"  added  Zillah. 

"Come,  come,  you  are  entirely  too  fast," 
laughed  Mrs.  Keith.  "I  will  not  have  any 
one  of  you  trying  her  eyes  with  sewing  on 
black  at  night.  "We  will  all  work  this  evening 
on  the  calicoes  begun  to-day,  and  Milly  shall 
fit  a  calico  for  me  before  she  tries  her  hand  on 
the  silk.  But  we  will  give  this  week  to  sewing 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  93 

and  reading.  Cyril  can  read  nicely  now,  and 
lie  and  Rupert  shall  take  turns  reading  aloud 
to  us.  Lessons  shall  begin  next  Monday." 

Aside  from  her  desire  to  be  as  helpful  as 
possible  to  her  dear  ones,  Mildred  felt  that 
constant  employment  for  head  and  hands  was 
the  best  earthly  antidote  for  her  present  griefs 
and  anxieties.  So  she  plunged  into  study  and 
work,  and  gave  herself  little  time  for  thought 
about  anything  else,  and  her  mother,  under 
standing  her  motive,  not  only  did  not  oppose, 
but  encouraged  her  in  that  course. 

Some  new  books  she  had  brought  in  her 
trunk  proved  a  rare  treat  to  the  entire  family, 
and  work,  enlivened  now  by  the  reading  of 
these  and  now  by  cheerful  chat,  was  decidedly 
enjoyable. 

There  were  many  calls,  too,  from  old  friends 
and  acquaintances,  and  so  the  week  slipped 
away  very  quickly  and  pleasantly. 

Saturday's  mail  brought  Mildred  a  letter 
from  Charlie  Landreth,  which  gave  her  both 
pain  and  pleasure. 

The  ardent  love  to  her  that  breathed  in 
every  line  sent  a  thrill  of  joy  to  her  heart ;  yet 
it  bled  for  him  in  his  deep  grief  for  the  loss  of 
his  sister ;  grief  unassuaged  by  the  consolations 
of  God. 


94  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Her  prayers  for  him  went  up  with  increased 
fervor.  Earnestly,  importunately,  she  besought 
the  Lord  to  comfort  him  in  this  great  sorrow, 
and  to  make  it  the  means  of  leading  him  to  a 
saving  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus. 

Then  she  sat  down  and  answered  his  letter 
with  one  that  through  all  its  maidenly  modesty 
and  reserve  breathed  a  tender  sympathy  that 
was  as  balm  to  his  wounds,  a  cordial  to  his 
fainting  spirit,  when  at  length  it  reached  him. 

Mildred  desired  to  have  no  secrets  from  her 
wise  and  dearly-loved  mother ;  both  Charlie's 
letter  and  her  own  were  carried  to  her,  and  the 
latter  submitted  to  her  approval  ere  it  went  on 
its  mission  of  consolation. 

This  communication  from  him  whose  love 
found  a  response  in  her  own  heart  did  good 
service  in  banishing  from  her  mind,  in  great 
measure,  disturbing  thought  about  the  other 
two. 

For  some  weeks  they  absented  themselves 
from  the  house,  then  gradually  resumed  their 
former  intimacy  with  the  family,  Mildred 
meeting  them,  when  compelled  by  circum 
stance,  without  embarrassment,  but  avoiding 
a  meeting  when  she  could  without  seeming  to 
do  so  purposely. 


CHAPTER  Till. 

A   DELIGHTFUL    SURPRISE. 

"  THERE  is  a  letter,  my  dear,  which  concerns 
you  quite  as  much  as  myself,"  Mr.  Keith  said, 
putting  it  into  his  wife's  hand.  "  It  gives  in 
formation  which  perhaps,  for  several  reasons, 
it  may  be  as  well  for  us  to  keep  to  ourselves 
for  the  present,"  he  added,  with  a  smile. 
"  That  is  why  I  kept  it  back  until  now  that  we 
are  alone." 

They  had  retired  to  their  own  room  for  the 
night,  and  the  little  ones  who  shared  it  with 
them  were  fast  asleep. 

"From  Uncle  Dinsmore!"  Mrs.  Keith  ex 
claimed,  recognizing  the  hand-writing  at  a 
glance. 

Her  husband  watched  her  face  with  interest 
and  some  curiosity  as  she  read,  a  slight  smile 
on  his  lips  and  in  his  eyes. 

She  looked  up  presently  with  hers  shining. 
"  How  good,  how  wonderfully  good  and  kind 
they  always  are !" 

"  Almost  too  kind,"  he  responded,  his  face 


96  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

clouding  a  little.  "  At  least  I  wish  there  was 
no  occasion  for  receiving  such  favors.  I  should 
have  been  tempted  to  decline,  had  I  been  con 
sulted  beforehand.  But  it  would  hardly  do 
now  that  the  goods  are  almost  here.  We  could 
not  well  send  them  back." 

"  No ;  certainly  that  is  not  to  be  thought  of 
for  a  moment,"  she  said,  lifting  to  his,  eyes 
smiling  through  tears.  "  We  must  follow  the 
Golden  Rule,  Stuart,  and  accept  their  kind  as 
sistance  in  educating  our  children  just  as  we 
would  wish  them  to  accept  ours  were  our  situ 
ations  reversed." 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  heaving  a  sigh,  "  doubt 
less  you  take  the  right  view  of  it ;  but — ah ! 
Marcia,  wife,  *  it  is  more  blessed  to  give  than 
to  receive.' " 

"  It  is  indeed,  my  dear  husband,  and  we 
will  not  refuse  them  that  blessedness  now,  but 
receive  their  kindnesses  in  the  spirit  in  which 
they  are  offered,  hoping  that  we  may  have  our 
turn  some  of  these  days.  Shall  we  not  ?" 

He  gave  a  silent  assent.  "  Do  you  not  agree 
with  me  that  it  will  be  well  to  keep  the  mat 
ter  a  secret  from  the  children  until  the  boxes 
arrive  ?"  he  asked. 

"  Oh,  yes,  indeed !  we  will  not  let  even  Mil 
dred  know.  It  will  be  such  a  delightful  sur- 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  97 

prise  to  her,  dear  child !  for  though  she  has 
uttered  no  word  of  complaint,  I  am  sure  it 
must  have  been  a  great  disappointment  to  her 
that  you  could  not  furnish  her  with  a  piano 
this  fall  to  enable  her  to  keep  up  her  music. 
Now  she  can  do  that  and  teach  her  sisters  too.'' 

"And  her  playing  will  be  a  great  treat  to  us 
all,"  added  Mr.  Keith,  with  a  smile  that  spoke 
volumes  of  fatherly  affection  and  pride  in  his 
first-born. 

"  And  then  the  books !  what  delightful  times 
we  shall  have  over  them !"  she  added,  her  eyes 
sparkling  ;  "  what  a  help  they  will  be  in  culti 
vating  our  children's  minds !  I  think  our  dear 
girl  must  have  completely  won  her  way  into 
the  hearts  of  my  uncle  and  cousin  Horace." 

"As  her  mother  did  before  her,"  he  re 
sponded,  with  a  light  happy  laugh. 

When  preparing  to  leave  Ohio  for  the  wilds 
of  Indiana,  Mr.  Keith  had  sold  most  of  their 
heavy  articles  of  furniture,  among  them  the 
piano.  Its  loss  had  been  greatly  lamented  in 
the  family,  especially  by  the  older  girls  and 
.Rupert.  The  purchase  of  another  had  become 
a  darling  project  with  him,  and  to  that  end  he 
had  worked  and  saved  till  he  had  now  quite  a 
little  hoard,  earned  mostly  by  the  sale  of  fruits, 
vegetables,  and  fowls  of  his  own  raising;  his 


98  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

mother  paying  him  for  these  at  the  market 
price,  and  whatever  surplus  he  had  finding 
ready  sale  at  the  stores. 

The  lad  was  very  industrious  and  painstak 
ing,  generally  very  successful  in  what  he  un 
dertook — as  such  people  are  apt  to  be — and 
while  generous  to  others  spent  little  on  him 
self. 

Since  Mildred's  return,  the  desire  for  a 
piano  was  stronger  than  ever :  there  was  not 
one  in  the  town,  nor  an  organ,  or  any  kind  of 
keyed  instrument ;  so  that  there  was  no  chance 
for  them  to  hear  her  play  and  judge  of  her 
improvement ;  and  worse  still,  she  would  be  in 
danger,  from  want  of  practice,  of  losing  all 
she  had  gained.  But  pianos  cost  a  great  deal 
in  those  days,  and  Mr.  Keith  could  not  just 
now  spare  the  money  to  make  the  purchase 
and  pay  the  heavy  cost  of  transportation. 

Money  was  scarce  in  that  region  then,  busi 
ness  carried  on  very  largely  by  barter.  This 
made  it  easier  for  him  to  be  at  the  expense  of 
enlarging  his  house  than  to  pay  for  something 
that  must  come  from  a  distance. 

There  was  little  or  no  fretting  or  complaint 
over  this  state  of  things,  but  the  children  often 
talked  longingly  of  the  good  time  coming, 
when  father  would  be  able,  with  the  help  of 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  Q9> 

what  they  could  earn  and  save,  to  send  for  a, 
piano. 

That  time  seemed  to  be  brought  a  little 
nearer  by  an  act  of  thoughtful  kindness  on  the 
part  of  their  dear  Aunt  Wealthy.  She  had 
set  apart  from  her  income  a  certain  sum  which 
she  engaged  to  send  to  their  mother,  at  regu 
lar  intervals,  to  be  divided  among  them  as 
pocket-money.  The  dear  old  lady  could 
hardly  have  devised  anything  that  would  have 
given  more  pleasure.  The  news,  as  announced 
by  Mildred  on  the  day  of  her  arrival,  was  re 
ceived  with  demonstrations  of  wild  delight, 
and  evidently  the  little  ones  now  considered 
themselves  moneyed  individuals,  taking  great 
pride  and  pleasure  in  consulting  together,  or 
with  father  and  mother,  as  to  the  disposal  of 
their  incomes. 

This  opened  up  to  the  careful  Christian 
parents  a  new  opportunity  for  the  study  of  the 
natural  character  of  each  of  their  children,  and 
the  curbing  of  wrong  inclinations,  whether  to 
ward  extravagance  or  penuriousness. 

One  day,  several  weeks  after  Mildred's  re 
turn,  Rupert  came  in  near  the  dinner  hour, 
and  drawing  his  mother  aside,  whispered 
something  in  her  ear.  There  was  a  look  of 
covert  delight  in  his  face,  and  his  eyes  sparkled. 


100  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

:as  he  added,  "One's  long,  low  and  broad, 
mother ;  can  only  be  one  thing,  I  think — just 
the  thing  we're  all  wanting  so  much.  But 
where  could  it  come  from  2" 

"  "Where  do  you  suppose  ?"  she  answered 
merrily.  "Well;  the  instant  you  are  done 
your  dinner  you  may  go  down  and  see  them 
brought  up." 

"  But  father  said  it  was  your  wish  and  his  to 
.make  it  a  complete  surprise  to  the  children." 

"  Mildred  included  2"  laughed  his  mother  ; 
**  you  are  so  much  older  than  she.  I  will  man- 
•age  it.  They  shall  all  be  out  of  the  way  while 
we  unpack." 

Mr.  Keith  came  in  presently,  and  with  his 
Arrival  the  call  to  dinner. 

Mildred  looked  curiously  at  Rupert  several 
times  during  the  meal,  wondering  at  his  unao 
-eustomed  air  of  importance,  the  half -exultant, 
meaning  glance  he  now  and  then  sent  across 
the  table  to  one  or  the  other  of  their  parents, 
and  the  haste  with  which  he  swallowed  his 
food  and  hurried  from  the  table  and  the 
house,  having  asked  to  be  excused,  as  he  had 
business  of  importance  to  attend  to. 

"  Dear  me,  what  airs  !"  laughed  Zillah,  as  he 
whisked  out  of  the  room.  "  One  would  think 
iie  was  a  man,  sure  enough." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  1Q1 

"  Girls,"  said  Mrs.  Keith,  "  I  want  you  to 
take  the  little  ones  out  for  a  walk  this  after 
noon.  It  is  a  bright  day  and  the  walking 
good,  and  if  you  are  all  well  wrapped  up,  you 
will  not  feel  the  cold." 

"  Not  if  they  go  at  once,"  put  in  Mr.  Keith. 

"  Run  away  and  make  yourselves  ready,  all 
of  you." 

"  The  party  will  be  large  enough  without- 
me,  won't  it,  mother?"  queried  Mildred. 
"  You  know  I  have  a  piece  of  sewing  on- 
hand  that  I  am  very  desirous  to  finish  before 
night." 

"  Let  it  go,  child ;  you  need  air  and  exercise 
far  more  than  I  do  the  dress,"  was  the  kind 
and  smiling  rejoinder. 

Then  came  a  chorus  of  entreaties  from  all 
the  children  that  mother  would  go  too. 

But  she  would  not  hear  of  it,  had  a  matter 
of  importance  to  attend  to  at  home ;  perhaps, 
if  to-morrow  should  prove  pleasant,  she  would 
go  with  them  then. 

And  so  with  smiles  and  merry,  loving  words 
she  helped  to  make  them  ready  and  sent  them 
on  their  way. 

Barely  in  time,  for  hardly  were  they  out  of 
sight  when  a  wagon  drove  up  with  two  large,, 
weighty  looking  boxes.  Rupert  and  two  menr 


102  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

beside  the  driver,  were  in  the  vehicle  also,  and 
it  took  all  their  strength,  with  Mr.  Keith's 
added,  to  lift  and  carry  the  boxes  into  the 
house. 

"  Oh,  it  is  a  piano  !  I  know  it  is  !"  cried 
Hupert,  as  they  set  down  in  the  hall  the  box 
he  had  described  to  his  mother. 

"  A  pianer  did  ye  say  ?"  queried  one  of  the 
men,  as  for  a  moment  they  all  stood  panting 
from  their  exertions  and  gazing  down  upon  the 
burden  they  had  just  deposited  upon  the  floor. 
•"  Let's  get  it  open  quick  then,  for  I  never  see 
>one  in  my  life." 

Rupert  ran  for  the  hatchet,  and  in  another 
five  minutes  the  lid  was  off  the  box,  and  all 
remaining  doubt  vanished. 

"  It  is,  it  is  !"  cried  the  lad,  fairly  capering 
about  the  room  in  his  delight.  "  Oh,  what  a 
joyful  surprise  for  the  girls  and  all  of  us ! 
But  where  on  earth  did  it  come  from? 
Father—" 

"  1  had  nothing  to  do  with  it,  my  son,"  Mr. 
Keith  asserted  with  a  grave  earnestness  that 
precluded  the  idea  that  he  might  be  jesting. 

The  boy  looked  bewildered,  then  disap 
pointed.  "There's  been  some  mistake,  I'm 
afraid.  Perhaps  there's  another  family  of  our 
name  somewhere  in  this  region,  and — " 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  103 

But  his  mother  whispered  a  word  in  his 
ear  and  his  face  grew  radiant.  "  Is  that  it  ? 
O  mother,  how  good  they  are !" 

"  Let's  git  the  thing  out  and  see  what  it's 
like,"  said  the  man  who  had  spoken  before. 

The  others  eagerly  assented,  and  set  to  work 
at  once,  Mr.  Keith  giving  assistance  and  direc 
tions,  Mrs.  Keith  pointing  out  the  place  in  the. 
parlor  where  she  wished  it  to  stand. 

"  You  kin  play,  I  'spose,  Mrs.  Keith.  "Won't 
you  give  us  a  tune  ?"  was  the  eager  request 
when  their  task  was  ended. 

Smilingly  she  seated  herself  and  played 
"Yankee  Doodle"  with  variations. 

They  were  delighted.  "  First-rate  !"  com 
mented  the  one  who  seemed  to  act  as  chief 
spokesman  of  the  party.  "Now,  ma'am,  if 
you  please,  won't  you  strike  up  '  Hail 
Columby.' " 

She  good-naturedly  complied,  added  "  Star 
Spangled  Banner,"  then  rose  from  the  instru 
ment. 

They  thanked  her  warmly,  saying  they  felt 
well  paid  for  bringing  "  the  thing  "  in. 

"  You  must  come  in  again  some  day,  if  you 
enjoy  hearing  it,"  she  said  with  gracious  sweet 
ness.  "  I  think  you  will  find  my  daughter  a 
better  performer  than  I  am." 


104  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  Yours  is  plenty  good  enough  for  us,"  they 
answered,  bowing  themselves  out. 

"  It  is  a  very  sweet-toned  instrument,"  she 
remarked,  running  her  fingers  over  the  keys ; 
"  a  most  magnificent  present.  How  delighted 
Mildred  and  the  rest  will  be !" 

"  I  am  eager  to  witness  it,"  her  husband 
fiaid  with  a  smile.  "  It  is  indeed  a  most  valu 
able  gift,  and  nothing  could  have  been  more 
acceptable." 

"  They're  the  kindest,  most  generous  rela 
tions  anybody  ever  had,"  added  Rupert  em 
phatically.  "  "What's  in  that  other  box  ?  shan't 
we  open  it  now  ?" 

"  Books,"  answered  his  mother.  "  Yes,  we 
may  as  well  open  it  and  spread  them  out  ready 
for  Mildred's  inspection.  Most  of  them  be 
long  to  her." 

This  done  Mrs.  Keith  again  seated  herself 
at  the  piano. 

The  young  people  had  taken  a  pretty  long 
walk,  moving  briskly  to  keep  themselves  warm, 
for  the  November  air  was  frosty,  and  were 
now  returning  in  gay  spirits,  eyes  sparkling 
and  cheeks  glowing  with  health  and  happiness, 
while  the  tongues  of  the  little  ones  ran  fast, 
and  a  joyous  shout  or  a  silvery  laugh  rang  out 
now  and  then ;  for  the  greater  part  of  their 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  105 

way  lay  not  through  the  streets  of  the  town, 
but  on  its  outskirts — along  the  river  bank, 
through  the  groves  of  saplings,  and  over  still 
unoccupied  prairie  land.  "When  they  came 
where  there  were  houses  and  people  to  be  dis 
turbed  by  their  noise,  their  mirth  subsided  a 
little,  and  they  spoke  to  each  other  in  subdued 
tones. 

As  they  drew  near  home,  unaccustomed,  sur 
prising  sounds  greeted  their  astonished  ears. 

"  Oh,  what's  that  music  ?"  cried  the  little 
ones,  "  such  pretty  music !" 

"  Why,  it  sounds  like  a  piano !"  exclaimed 
the  older  ones;  "but  where  could  it  come 
from  ?"  and  they  rushed  tumultuously  into  the 
house,  even  Mildred  forgetting  the  staid  pro 
priety  of  her  years. 

The  parlor  door  stood  open,  and — yes,  there 
it  was — a  beautiful  piano,  mother's  skilful  fin 
gers  bringing  out  its  sweetest  tones,  father  and 
Rupert  standing  enraptured  close  beside  her, 
and  Celestia  Ann,  sleeves  rolled  up,  dish-towel 
in  hand,  eyes  dancing,  and  mouth  stretched  in 
a  broad  grin,  stationed  at  the  farther  end. 

"  Well,  I  never !  where  on  airth  did  the 
critter  come  from  ?"  she  exclaimed  just  as  the 
others  came  upon  the  scene.  "  I  never  see  the 
like,  I  never  did !"  she  went  on.  "  I  just  ran 


106  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

down  town  of  an  arrant,  and  I'd  come  home 
again  and  in  the  back  door  and  begun  to  wash 
up  them  dishes,  when  I  heered  this  agoin',  and 
come  in  to  find  out  what  under  the  sun  was 
agoin'  on." 

But  no  one  seemed  to  hear  a  word  she  said  ; 
the  children  were  jumping  and  careering  about 
the  room  in  frantic  delight,  clapping  their 
hands,  pouring  out  questions  and  exclamations. 
"Oh,  aren't  you  glad?  aren't  you  glad?" 
"  Isn't  it  a  beauty  ?"  "  It's  just  too  nice  for 
anything  !"  «  Who  did  send  it  ?" 

Mildred  stood  silently  gazing  at  it,  her 
eyes  full  of  glad  tears.  Father  and  Rupert 
were  watching  her,  taking  no  notice  of  the 
others. 

"  Well,  dear  ?"  her  mother  said,  whirling 
about  on  the  piano  stool  and  looking  up  into 
her  face  with  tender,  loving  eyes. 

"  O  mother,  it  is  too  much !"  she  cried,  the 
tears  beginning  to  fall.  "Uncle  Dinsmore 
sent  it,  I  know ;  and  I  do  believe  it's  one  of 
the  very  two  I  liked  the  best  of  all  we  saw. 
He  bought  the  other  for  themselves  and  this 
for  us." 

"  For  you,  dear  ;  but  indeed  it  is,  he  says, 
not  his  own  gift,  but  Cousin  Horace's.  The 
books  are  from  him — our  kind,  generous 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  107 

uncle."  And  she  pointed  to  them  where  they 
lay  piled  high  upon  the  table. 

"Books  too!"  Mildred  exclaimed  in  in 
creased  astonishment  and  delight. 

"Yes,  he  has  marked  out  a  course  of  reading 
for  you — subject  to  your  father's  and  my  ap 
proval — and  sent  the  necessary  books  and  some 
others  beside." 

While  his  wife  was  speaking  Mr.  Keith  had 
drawn  near  and  put  an  arm  about  Mildred's 
waist ;  and  now  she  fairly  broke  down,  and 
hiding  her  face  on  her  father's  shoulder,  sobbed 
aloud. 

The  children  were  immediately  awed  into 
silence.  They  gathered  around  liBr,  asking  in 
half-frightened  tones,  "  Milly,  Milly,  what's 
the  matter  ?  are  you  sorry  the  piano's  come  ? 
We  thought  you'd  be  so  glad." 

"  And  so  I  am,"  she  said,  lifting  her  head 
and  smiling  through  her  tears. 

Her  mother  vacated  the  stool,  her  father 
seated  her  thereon,  and  hastily  wiping  away 
her  tears,  she  sent  her  fingers  flying  over  the 
keys  in  a  lively  merry  tune  that  set  the  chil 
dren  to  jumping  and  dancing  more  wildly 
than  before. 


CKAPTEE  IX. 

"  Labor  in  the  path  of  duty, 
Gleam' d  up  like  a  thing  of  beauty." 

CRANCH. 

"  MY  dear  child,  you  have  improved  wonder 
fully,"  Mrs.  Keith  said,  as  Mildred  concluded 
a  much  longer  and  more  difficult  piece  of  mu 
sic  than  the  one  with  which  she  had  begun. 

"  She  has  indeed !  I'm  quite  proud  of  her 
performance,"  echoed  Mr.  Keith. 

"  She  does  make  terrible  fine  music,"  put  in 
Celestia  Ann ;  "  but  I  wisht  she'd  stop  a  bit,  or 
them  dishes  o'  mine  '11  never  git  washed." 

"And  I  must  go  to  the  office,"  said  Mr. 
Keith,  looking  at  his  watch,  and  glancing 
about  in  search  of  his  hat. 

"  And  I  to  my  sewing,"  added  Mildred,  ris 
ing. 

The  children  entreated  somewhat  clamor 
ously  for  more,  but  yielded  their  wish  at  once 
on  mother's  decision  that  they  must  wait  till 
after  tea. 

"  Oh,  the  books !"  cried  Mildred,  springing 
toward  them  with  an  eager  gesture.  "But 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  109 

no,"  turning  away  with  a  half  sigh,  "  I  must 
not  take  time  to  even  look  at  them  now." 

"  Yes,  you  may,"  her  mother  said  smilingly ; 
"  glance  at  the  titles,  and  dip  in  here  and  there, 
just  to  whet  your  appetite ;  read  this  note  from 
your  uncle,  too,  and  then  we  can  talk  over  your 
plans  for  mental  culture,  while  busy  with  our 
needles." 

"  Always  the  same  kind,  indulgent  mother," 
Mildred  said,  with  a  look  of  grateful  love.  "  I 
will  do  so,  then,  and  try  to  work  fast  enough 
afterwards  to  make  up  for  lost  time." 

"  Half  an  hour  later  she  joined  her  mother 
and  sisters,  who  were  all  sewing  industriously. 

"  Such  a  nice  note,  mother.  Shall  I  read  it 
to  you  ?" 

"  Yes,  if  you  like.  I  always  enjoy  uncle's 
letters." 

"  It  sounds  just  like  his  talk,"  Mildred  said 
when  she  had  done  reading,  saying  the  kindest 
things  half  jestingly,  half  earnestly.  But  the 
idea  of  his  thinking  I  must  have  wondered 
that  he  gave  me  no  special  parting  gift ! — when 
he  was  all  the  time  heaping  favors  upon  me." 

"But  it  was  Cousin  Horace  who  gave  the 
piano,"  said  Ada. 

"  Yes ;  uncle  the  books.  And  now  I  must 
strive  to  show  my  appreciation  of  their  kind- 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

ness  by  making  the  best  possible  use  of  both 
presents." 

"  For  your  own  improvement  and  that  of 
others,"  added  her  mother.  "  I  want  you  to 
lend  them,  one  at  a  time,  to  Erne  Prescott  and 
poor  Gotobed  Lightcap." 

"  "What  about  him,  mother  ?"  Mildred  asked, 
taking  up  her  sewing.  "  The  children  told  me 
he  had  been  elected  sheriff." 

"  Yes ;  I  was  very  glad.  He  deserves  every 
encouragement,  for  he  is  trying  hard  to  edu 
cate  himself,  and  I  really  hope  some  day  may 
be  able  to  enter  one  of  the  learned  profes 
sions." 

"  Poor  fellow !"  Mildred  exclaimed  feelingly, 
tears  starting  to  her  eyes  as  memory  brought 
vividly  before  her  the  sad  scenes  connected 
with  the  loss  of  his  right  hand,  "  he  is  welcome 
to  the  use  of  any  or  all  of  my  books.  I  will 
gladly  do  anything  in  my  power  to  help 
him." 

"  Now,  suppose  we  talk  about  ourselves  and 
our  own  affairs,"  Zillah  suggested  in  her 
sprightly  way.  "I'm  extremely  anxious  to 
learn  to  play  on  that  lovely  piano,  but  don't 
see  how  either  you,  mother,  or  Milly  is  to  find 
time  to  give  me  lessons,  for  you  are  both  busy 
as  bees  now  from  morning  to  night." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  And  I  want  to  learn  too,"  put  in  Ada  im 
ploringly. 

"So  you  shall,  dears,  both  of  you,  if  you 
continue  to  be  the  good,  industrious,  helpful 
girls  you  have  been  for  the  past  year,"  the 
mother  said,  with  her  cheery  smile.  "  Milly 
and  I  will  manage  it  between  us.  Almost  all 
our  winter  clothes  are  made  now,  so  that  we 
will  not  need  to  give  so  much  time  to  sewing 
as  we  have  for  the  past  month  or  more." 

Mildred  seemed  to  be  thinking.  "  I  believe 
we  can  manage  it,"  she  said  presently.  "  I 
hear  the  recitations  from  nine  to  eleven  now, 
you  know ;  we  must  begin  at  eight  after  this, 
and  then  from  ten  to  twelve  can  be  spared  for 
the  two  music  lessons." 

"  And  the  afternoons  and  evenings  you  must 
reserve  for  yourself — your  exercise,  study, 
reading  and  recreation,"  added  Mrs.  Keith, 
"  while  I  oversee  the  practicing  and  the  pre 
paration  of  lessons  for  the  next  day.  Two 
music  lessons  a  week  to  each  will  be  all  suffi 
cient.  Yes,  I  am  sure  that  with  system  and 
rigid  economy  of  time — making  good  use  of 
each  golden  minute  as  it  flies — we  can  accom 
plish  all  that  is  necessary,  if  not  all  that  is  de 
sirable." 

Again  a  few  moments  of  thoughtful  silence 


112  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

on  Mildred's  part,  then,  "Mother,"  she  said, 
"  do  you  think  I  ought  to  take  that  Sunday- 
school  class?  I  don't  feel  fit,  and — and  be 
sides,  it  will  take  a  good  deal  of  my  time  to 
attend  right  to  it — prepare  the  lessons,  and  oc 
casionally  visit  the  children  through  the  week." 

" '  I  would  have  you  consider  the  question 
carefully  and  prayerfully,  and  in  the  light  of 
God's  holy  word,  which  is  our  only  rule  of 
faith  and  practice,  daughter.  'As  we  have 
therefore  opportunity,  let  us  do  good  unto  all 
men.'  '  He  that  winneth  souls  is  wise.'  " 

"  But,  mother,  I  am  not  wise." 

Mildred's  tone  was  low  and  humble. 

"  If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of 
God,  that  giveth  to  all  men  liberally,  and  up- 
braideth  not ;  and  it  shall  be  given  him.'  Ask 
for  it  and  search  the  Scriptures  for  it,  for  we 
are  told,  'The  entrance  of  thy  word  giveth 
light ;  it  giveth  understanding  to  the  simple.' 
And  while  you  study  it  for  the  benefit  of 
others,  you  will  be  cultivating  your  own  soul 
— a  matter  of  even  greater  importance  than 
the  culture  of  your  intellect.'  " 

"  And  I  could  not  do  the  first  without  at  the 
same  time  doing  the  last." 

"No;  that  is  very  true.  Also  I  trust, 
daughter,  that  your  great  motive  for  improv- 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  H3 

ing  your  mental  powers  is  that  you  may  thus 
be  prepared  to  do  better  service  to  the  Mas 
ter?" 

"  I  hope  so,  mother ;  it  is,  if  I  know  my  own 
heart,"  Mildred  said,  looking  up  with  shining 
eyes.  "  I  know  it  is  said  that  duties  never 
conflict,  yet  it  does  seem  sometimes  as  though 
they  did." 

"  As,  for  example  ?"  and  her  mother's  eye& 
smiled  encouragingly  and  sympathizingly  into 
hers. 

"  Why,  there  is  the  weekly  church  prayer- 
meeting  to  take  one  whole  evening  out  of  the 
six." 

"  Only  from  an  hour  to  an  hour  and  a  half," 
corrected  Mrs.  Keith. 

"  But  it  breaks  into  the  evening  so  that  one 
can  hardly  do  much  with  the  leavings,"  Mil 
dred  said  with  a  slight  laugh.  "And  then  the 
young  girls'  prayer-meeting  breaks  up  one 
afternoon  of  every  week,  and  besides — O 
mother !  it  is  a  real  trial  to  me  to  lead  in 
prayer,  and  I  am  sure  to  be  called  on." 

"  I  hope  you  will  never  refuse,"  Mrs.  Keith 
said  gently,  and  with  a  tender,  loving  look. 
"  We  should  never  fear  to  attempt  any  duty, 
looking  to  God  for  help,  for  it  shall  be  given, 
and  a  blessing  with  it." 


114  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  It  is  a  great  cross  to  me." 

"  Greater  than  that  the  Master  bore  for 
you?" 

"  Oh  no,  no !  nothing  to  compare  to  it,  or 
even  to  what  many  a  martyr  and  many  a  mis 
sionary  has  done  and  borne  for  him." 

"  And  is  it  not  a  blessed  privilege  to  be  per 
mitted  to  do  and  bear  something  for  his  dear 
.sake  ?"  Mrs.  Keith  asked  with  glistening  eyes, 
and  in  tones  trembling  with  emotion. 

"O  mother,  yes!"  And  Mildred's  head 
bowed  low,  a  tear  fell  on  her  work. 

"  O  my  darling,  be  a  whole-hearted  Chris 
tian  !"  the  mother  went  on,  speaking  with  in 
tense  earnestness,  "  consecrate  yourself  and  all 
you  have  to  the  Master's  service — time,  talents, 
influence,  money — everything  you  possess.  He 
gave  himself  for  us ;  shall  we  hold  back  any 
thing  from  him  ?" 

"  Oh  no !     But  mother—" 

"Well,  dear?"      . 

"  Shall  I  not  do  better  service  by  and  by, 
perhaps,  by  now  giving  my  whole  time,  ener 
gy,  and  thought  to  preparation  for  it  ?" 

"  Do  you  find  that  you  can  always  do  a  given, 
amount  of  mental  work  in  a  given  space  of 
time  ?" 

"  No,  mother  ;  sometimes  my  brain  is  so  ac- 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  H5 

tive  that  I  can  do  more  in  an  hour  than  at. 
some  other  times  I  can  accomplish  in  a 
day." 

"  '  And  cannot  He  who  made  you,  and  gave 
you  all  your  mental  powers,  cause  them  at  any 
time  to  be  thus  active  ?  My  child,  he  never 
lets  us  lose  by  working  for  him  ;  in  some  way 
he  will  more  than  make  it  good  to  us.  '  He 
that  watereth  shall  be  watered  also  himself/ 
'  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  Hia 
righteousness;  and  all  these  things  shall  be 
added  unto  you.' " 

Mildred  looked  up  brightly.  "  I  think — I 
am  sure  you  are  right,  mother ;  and  I  will  take- 
up  all  those  duties,  trusting  to  the  dear  Master 
to  help  me  with  them  and  with  my  studies. 
My  time  is  his  as  well  as  all  else  that  I  have." 

" '  Yes,  ye  are  not  your  own,  for  ye  ara 
bought  with  a  price;  therefore  glorify  God 
in  your  body  and  in  your  spirit,  which  are 
God's.'" 

"  "Who,  mother  ?"  asked  little  Fan,  playing 
with  her  doll  near  by. 

"All  God's  children,  my  child." 

"  I  want  to  be  one,  mother.  But  who  bought 
them  ?  and  what  with  ?  what  price  ?" 

"  Christ  bought  them,  dear,  with  his  own 
precious  blood." 


116  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"Mother,"  said  Ada  softly,  "how  good  he 
was !  I  wish  I  could  do  something  for  him  ; 
but  I'm  not  old  enough  to  teach  in  Sunday- 
school,  or  pray  in  the  prayer-meeting." 

"  No,  darling ;  but  you  can  pray  at  home, 
kneeling  alone  in  your  own  room,  and  join  with 
your  heart  in  the  prayers  at  family  worship 
and  at  church  ;  you  can  pray  in  your  heart  at 
any  time  and  in  any  place  ;  for  yourself  and 
for  others.  In  his  great  kindness  and  conde 
scension  God  listens  to  our  prayers  at  all  times, 
if  they  come  from  the  heart,  and  just  as  readi 
ly  to  those  of  a  little  child  as  to  those  of  the 
wisest  and  mightiest  of  men." 

"  O  mother,  I'm  glad  of  that !  but  if  I  could 
do  some  work  for  him  I'd  love  to  do  it." 

"  '  Do  you  remember,  dear,  that  once  when 
Jesus  was  on  earth  the  people  asked  him 
*  What  shall  we  do  that  we  might  work  the 
works  of  God  ?'  and  Jesus  answered  and  said 
unto  them,  '  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye 
believe  on  him  whom  he  hath  sent.' " 

"That  was  Jesus  himself,"  the  child  said 
thoughtfully,  staying  her  needle  in  mid  air, 
while  her  eyes  sought  the  floor.  "Mother, 
could  you  tell  me  just  what  is  meant  by  be 
lieving  on  him  so  as  to  be  saved  ?  It  can't 
mean  only  believing  all  the  Bible  says  about 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  H7 

him  is  true,  because  it  tells  us  ;  the  devils  also 
believe,  and  tremble.'  I  heard  father  read  it 
from  the  Bible  at  worship  this  morning." 

"  Yes,  my  dear  child,  it  does  mean  much 
more  than  that,"  the  mother  said,  and  silently 
asked  help  of  God  to  make  it  clear  to  the  ap 
prehension  of  all  present,  even  to  little  Annis, 
who  leant  confidingly  against  her  knee,  the 
blue  eyes  gazing  earnestly  into  her  face. 

"  The  devils  know  the  truth,  but  they  don't 
love  it,"  she  said  ;  "  God's  children  do  :  they 
are  glad  that  he  reigns  and  rules  in  all  the  uni 
verse  ;  but  the  devils  gnash  their  teeth  with 
rage  that  it  is  so,  and  would  tear  him  from  hia 
throne  if  they  could." 

The  two  little  boys  were  in  the  room,  Cyril 
whittling,  Don  poring  over  a  new  book  that 
Mildred  had  brought  him  from  Philadelphia. 
The  one  shut  his  jack-knife,  the  other  his  book, 
and  both  drew  near  to  listen. 

"  Jesus  didn't  die  for  them,  did  he,  mother  ?" 
asked  Cyril. 

"  No,  my  son,  there  is  no  salvation  offered 
them,  and  God  might  justly  have  left  us  in 
the  same  awful  condition;  but  of  his  great 
love  and  mercy  he  has  provided  a  wonderfu] 
way  by  which  we  can  be  saved.  '  For  God  so 
loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten 


118  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.' 

"  Faith  is  another  word  that  means  the  same 
as  believing.  The  Bible  tells  us  that  without 
faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God ;  also,  that 
the  faith  which  availeth  anything  worketh  by 
love.  '  Unto  you,  therefore,  which  believe,  he 
(that  is,  Jesus)  is  precious.'  The  faith  that 
pleases  God  and  will  save  from  sin  and  eternal 
•death,  loves  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  trusts 
for  salvation  only  in  what  he  has  done  and 
•suffered  for  us." 

"We  can't  do  anything  to  save  ourselves, 
mother?" 

"  '  "We  can  not  do  anything  to  earn  our  sal 
vation  ;  we  can  have  it  only  as  God's  free,  un 
deserved  gift.  We  have  all  broken  God's  holy 
law,  but  Jesus  kept  it  perfectly  in  our  stead. 
Our  sins  deserve  God's  wrath  and  curse,  both 
in  this  life  and  that  which  is  to  come,  for  it  is 
written,  '  Cursed  is  every  one  who  continueth 
not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the  book 
of  the  law  to  do  them ; '  but  Jesus  has  borne 
that  curse  for  all  his  people.  '  Christ  hath  re 
deemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being 
made  a  curse  for  us.'  " 

"  I  should  like  to  have  that  right  kind  of 
faith  if  I  knew  just  how  to  get  it,  mother,"  said 
Ada. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  *  By  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith ; 
and  that  not  of  yourselves :  it  is  the  gift  of 
God,'  "  quoted  Mrs.  Keith.  "  Ask  for  it,  my 
child.  Jesus  said,  'Every  one  that  asketh,  re- 
ceiveth  ; '  and  again,  '  If  ye  shall  ask  anything 
in  my  name  I  will  do  it.' ': 

" '  You  know,  my  child,  that  though  we  can 
not  see  him,  he  is  always  near.  Go  to  him  in 
prayer,  confess  your  sins,  tell  him  that  you  are- 
altogether  sinful  by  nature  and  by  practice^ 
and  can  do  nothing  at  all  to  deserve  his  favor ; 
but  that  you  come  in  his  name,  and  pleading- 
what  he  has  done  and  suffered  for  you,  because 
he  has  invited  you  so  to  come.  Ask  him  to 
take  away  your  wicked  heart  and  give  you  a 
new  one  full  of  love  to  him ;  accept  his  offered 
salvation  from  sin  and  hell ;  give  yourself  ta 
him  and  he  will  take  you  for  his  own ;  for  he- 
says,  '  Him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise 
cast  out.'  He  will  give  you  true  faith  and 
true  repentance — sorrow  for  sin  because  it  is 
displeasing  to  God;  a  sorrow  that  will  lead 
you  to  hate  and  forsake  it,  and  to  be  a  follower 
of  God  as  a  dear  child,  doing  him  service  from 
the  heart,  striving  to  please,  honor,  and  glorify 
him  in  all  things ;  not  that  you  may  be  saved,, 
but  because  you  are  saved.' " 

"  But  what  can  a  little  girl  like  me  do  for 
him,  mother  ?" 


120  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  Or  a  boy  like  me  or  Cyril  ?"  added  Don. 

"  Christ  is  our  example,  and  one  thing  the 
Bible  tells  us  of  him  is  that  when  he  was  a 
child  on  earth  he  was  subject  to  his  parents ; 
that  is,  he  obeyed  and  honored  them.  You 
must  do  the  same  by  yours,  if  you  would  be 
his  disciples.  There  are  few,  comparatively, 
whom  God  calls  to  do  what  men  consider  great 
things  for  him,  but  if  we  do  faithfully  each 
little  every-day  duty — it  may  be  only  to  learn 
a  lesson,  to  sweep  or  dust  a  room,  to  make  a 
bed,  go  on  an  errand,  or  something  else  quite 
as  simple  and  easy — because  we  want  to  please 
and  honor  him ;  he  will  accept  it  as  work 
done  for  him.  Men  can  judge  only  from  ap 
pearances — God  sees  the  heart,  the  motives ; 
and  according  as  they  are  good  or  bad  is  he 
pleased  or  displeased  with  our  acts." 

"Mother,"  cried  Ada,  looking  up  with  a 
glad  smile,  "how  nice  that  is  !  Any  work  must 
be  sweet  when  we  think  of  God  watching  and 
being  pleased  with  us  for  doing  it  just  as  well 
as  we  can  because  we  love  him." 

"  Yes,  daughter,  love  is  a  great  sweetener  of 
labor  of  whatever  kind  it  may  be." 


CHAPTER  X. 

"  True  faith  and  reason  are  the  soul's  two  eyes, 
Faith  evermore  looks  upward  and  descries 
Objects  remote."  QUAKLIS. 

MR.  KEITH  and  Wallace  Onnsby  were  busy, 
eacli  at  his  own  desk ;  unbroken  silence  had 
reigned  in  the  office  for  the  last  half  hour, 
when  suddenly  dropping  his  pen  and  wheel 
ing  about  in  his  chair,  the  elder  gentleman 
addressed  the  younger : 

"  Why,  how's  this,  Wallace  ?  I  haven't  seen 
you  in  my  house  or  heard  of  your  being  there 
for  weeks ;  what's  wrong  ?" 

Wallace,  taken  by  surprise,  could  only  stam 
mer  out  rather  incoherently  something  about 
having  had  a  good  deal  to  do — "correspond 
ence  and  other  writing,  studying  up  that  case, 
you  know,  sir." 

"Come,  come,  now,  you're  not  so  hard 
pushed  with  work  that  you  can't  take  a  little 
recreation  now  and  then,"  returned  his  inter 
rogator  kindly ;  "  and  really  I  don't  think  you 
can  find  a  much  better  place  for  that  than  my 
house;  especially  since  Mildred's  at  home 
again." 


122  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  That  is  very  true,  sir,"  said  "Wallace,  "  but 
— I'd  be  extremely  sorry  to  wear  out  my  wel 
come,"  he  added,  with  a  laugh  that  seemed  a 
trifle  forced. 

"  No  fear  of  that,  "Wallace ;  not  the  slight 
est,"  Mr.  Keith  answered  heartily  :  "  why,  we 
consider  you  quite  one  of  the  family ;  we  can 
never  forget  how  kindly  you  nursed  us  in  that 
sickly  season.  And  we've  a  new  attraction." 

"  Yes,  sir,  so  I  heard.  A  very  fine  instru 
ment,  isn't  it  ?" 

"Yes;  if  we  are  judges.  Come  up  thi& 
evening  and  hear  Mildred  play.  I  think  she 
has  really  a  genius  for  music ;  but  that  may  be 
a  fond  father's  partiality." 

The  invitation  was  too  tempting  to  be  de 
clined  :  it  had  taken  a  very  strong  effort  of  will 
to  enable  the  love-sick  swain  to  stay  so  long 
away  from  his  heart's  idol,  and  now  under  her 
father's  hospitable  urgency  his  resolution  gave 
way. 

"Thank  you,  sir;  I  shall  be  delighted  to 
come :  and  I  have  no  doubt  Miss  Mildred  is 
quite  as  fine  a  performer  as  you  think  her,"  he 
said ;  and  each  resumed  his  pen. 

Mrs.  Keith,  with  strong  faith  in  the  wisdom 
of  the  old  adage,  "All  work  and  no  play 
makes  Jack  a  dull  boy,"  always  insisted  upon 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  123 

each  member  of  her  household  taking  a  due 
amount  of  recreation.  The  older  girls  would 
sometimes,  in  their  eagerness  to  finish  a  piece 
of  work  or  learn  a  lesson  for  the  morrow,  be 
ready  to  take  up  book  or  sewing  immediately 
on  leaving  the  tea-table ;  but  their  mother  put 
a  veto  upon  that,  and  by  precept  and  example 
encouraged  a  half  hour  of  social  chat,  romping 
with  the  little  ones,  or  gathering  about  the 
piano  to  listen  to  Mildred's  playing :  and  often 
a  little  time  before  tea  was  given  to  music  both 
vocal  and  instrumental,  every  one,  even  down 
to  little  Annis,  frequently  taking  part  in  the 
latter. 

This  season  of  mirth  and  jollity  was  over  for 
the  evening,  Mrs.  Keith  had  taken  the  younger 
children  away  to  put  them  to  bed,  Zillah  and 
Ada  were  at  their  tasks  in  the  sitting-room; 
but  Mildred  still  lingered  at  the  piano,  feeling 
that  she  had  need  of  practice  to  recover  lost 
ground. 

Mr.  Keith  listened  a  little  longer,  then  re 
marking  that  he  must  see  Squire  Chetwood 
about  a  business  matter,  donned  hat  and  over 
coat  and  went  out. 

Rupert  stood  beside  his  sister,  turning  the 
pages  of  her  music  and  praising  her  execution. 
"  I'd  like  all  the  town  to  hear  you,"  he  said. 


124  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"I  should  prefer  a  much  smaller  audience," 
she  returned,  laughingly.  "Ku,  did  you  re 
member  to  mail  that  letter  ?" 

"  No,  I  didn't !"  he  cried,  in  some  conster 
nation. 

She  drew  out  her  pretty  watch. 

"  There's  time  yet,"  he  said,  glancing  at  its 
face ;  "  so  I'm  off." 

Hurrying  out  of  the  front  door,  he  encoun 
tered  Ormsby  in  the  porch. 

"Hollo!  is  that  you,  Wallace?"  he  cried. 
"  A  little  more  and  there'd  have  been  a  colli 
sion.  Haven't  seen  you  here  for  an  age !  been 
wondering  what  had  become  of  you.  Well, 
walk  right  in.  You'll  find  Milly  in  the  parlor. 
But  you  must  excuse  me  for  awhile  as  I've  a 
letter  to  mail." 

He  held  the  door  open  as  he  spoke,  and  hav 
ing  seen  the  caller  inside,  hastily  shut  it  with 
out  waiting  for  a  reply  to  his  remarks,  and 
rushed  away. 

The  parlor  door  stood  ajar.  Wallace  tapped 
lightly ;  but  Mildred,  intent  upon  her  music, 
did  not  hear,  and  he  stole  quietly  in.  He  stood 
for  a  moment  almost  entranced  by  the  low 
sweet  tones  of  voice  and  instrument. 

Mildred  was  thinking  of  Charlie,  and  her 
voice  was  full  of  pathos  as  she  sang — 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  125 

" '  When  we  two  parted 
In  silence  and  tears, 
Half  broken-hearted, 
To  sever  for  years.' " 

A  deep  sigh  startled  her  and  she  turned 
tastily  to  find — not  Charlie,  but  "Wallace  re 
garding  her  with  eyes  full  of  despairing  love 
mingled  with  tender  compassion. 

He  saw  that  her  eyes  were  full  of  tears,  and 
coming  quickly  to  her  side  took  her  hand  in 
his. 

"  Dear  Mildred,  I  can't  bear  to  see  you  un 
happy,"  he  said,  in  low,  tremulous  tones. 
"  Don't  grieve,  it  will  all  come  right  some  day. 
Ah,  if  only  I  could  have  won  your  heart !"  and 
again  he  sighed  deeply. 

"  It's  the  old  story,  '  the  course  of  true  love 
never  will  run  smooth,'  and  we  can  only  be 
sorry  for  each  other,"  she  returned  with  forced 
gayety,  and  hastily  wiping  away  her  tears. 
"  Take  a  seat,  won't  you,  and  I'll  give  you 
something  more  cheerful  than  that  sickly  sen 
timental  stuff  you  caught  me  singing.  That 
is,  of  course,  if  you  wish  to  hear  it ;"  and  she 
looked  up  into  his  face  with  an  arch  smile. 

A  tete-a-tete  with  him  at  that  time  was  not 
desirable — would  be  rather  embarrassing ;  she 
wanted  to  avoid  it,  and  heartily  wished  some 


126  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

one  of  the  family  would  come  in  immediately ; 
therefore  was  not  seriously  displeased  at  the 
sudden  and  unexpected  entrance  of  Celestia 
Ann. 

This  very  independent  maid-of-all-work 
came  bustling  in,  dressed  in  her  "  Sunday 
best "  and  with  a  bit  of  sewing  in  her  hand. 

"  Good-evenin',  Mr.  Ormsby,"  she  said,  nod 
ding  to  him ;  then  turning  to  Mildred :  "  I 
declare,  Miss  Mildred,  your  playin'  is  so  pow 
erful  fine  I  couldn't  noways  stand  it  to  set  out 
there  in  the  kitchen  while  the  pianner  was  a 
goin'  in  here  and  nobody  to  listen  to  it.  You 
see  I  thought  you  were  alone ;  but  I  reckon 
Mr.  Ormsby  won't  mind  me." 

"Wallace  was  too  well  aware  of  the  value  of 
the  woman's  services  and  the  difficulty  of  retain 
ing  them  to  make  any  objection.  He  merely  nod 
ded  and  smiled  in  reply  to  her  salutation ;  then 
turning  to  Mildred  answered  her  with,  "  Indeed 
I  should  be  delighted.  In  fact  your  father  in 
vited  me  to  call  this  evening  for  the  express 
purpose  of  listening  to  your  music,  and,"  he 
added  in  a  whisper,  "  though  I  feared  my  visit 
might  not  be  altogether  welcome  to  you,  I  had 
not  the  courage  to  deny  myself  so  great  a 
pleasure." 

"  There  was  no  occasion,"  Mildred  said,  in 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  127 

the  same  low  tone :  "  we  all  want  you  to  feel 
yourself  quite  at  home  here.  You'll  excuse  the 
intrusion  of — " 

"  Oh,  certainly  :  I  understand  it." 

Celestia  Ann  had  seated  herself  beside  a 
lamp  burning  on  a  distant  table,  and  was  in 
dustriously  plying  her  needle. 

"  Come,  give  us  a  lively  toon,  Miss  Milly, 
won't  ye  ?"  she  said.  "  'Yankee  Doodle,'  or 
*  Hail  Colomby,'  or  some  o'  them  toons  folks 
•dances  to." 

"  Which  or  what  will  you  have,  Mr.  Orms- 
fcy?"  asked  Mildred. 

"  1 2"  he  said,  with  a  smile ;  "  oh,  1  own  to 
sharing  Miss  Hunsinger's  partiality  for  our  na 
tional  airs,  and  am  well  satisfied  with  the  selec 
tions  already  made." 

Mildred  gave  them  in  succession. 

A  tall  man  with  a  book  under  his  arm  stood 
in  a  listening  attitude  at  the  gate.  Mrs.  Keith, 
seeing  him  from  an  upper  window,  came  down 
-and  opened  the  front  door. 

"  Good  evening,  Mr.  Lightcap,"  she  said  in 
her  pleasant  voice,  "  won't  you  come  in  out  of 
ihe  cold  ?" 

"I  come  to  fetch  back  your  book,  Mrs. 
Heith,"  he  said,  moving  toward  her  with  long 
strides,  "and  I  thought  I'd  not  disturb  the 


128  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

folks  in  your  parlor  by  knockin'  whilst  that 
music  was  agoin'.  I'm  a  thousand  times 
obleeged  fer  the  loan  o'  the  book,  ma'am  ;"  and 
he  handed  it  to  her,  then  lifted  his  cap  as  if  in 
adieu. 

"  No,  no ;  don't  go  yet,"  she  said.  "  I  have 
another  book  for  you,  and  you  must  have  some 
more  of  the  music,  if  you  care  to  hear  it,, 
without  standing  in  the  cold  to  listen." 

Her  pleasant  cordiality  put  him  at  his  ease,, 
and  he  followed  her  into  the  parlor. 

Mildred  was  playing  and  singing  "Star  Span 
gled  Banner,"  Wallace  accompanying  her  witk 
his  voice,  both  so  taken  up  with  the  business  in 
hand  that  they  did  not  perceive  the  entrance 
of  Mrs.  Keith  and  Gotobed  until  they  joined 
in  on  the  chorus ;  when  Mildred  looked  up  in 
surprise  and  nodded  a  smiling  welcome  to  the 
latter. 

"  Tell  you,  that's  grand !"  he  exclaimed  at 
the  close,  his  f  aoe  lighting  up  with  patriotic  en 
thusiasm  ;  "  there's  somethin'  mighty  inspirin' 
about  them  national  airs  o'  ourn.  Don't  ye 
think  so,  Mrs.  Keith  ?" 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  they  always  stir  my  blood 
with  love  for  my  dear  native  land,  and  awaken 
emotions  of  gratitude  to  God  and  those  gallant 
forefathers  who  fought  and  bled  to  secure  her 
liberties." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  129 

*  Ah !"  he  sighed  with  a  downward  glance 
at  his  mutilated  arm,  "  I  can  never  lift  sword 
or  gun  for  her  if  occasion  should  come  again !" 

"  But  you  may  do  as  much,  or  even  more,  in 
other  ways,"  she  responded  cheerily. 

"  I  can't  see  how,  ma'am,"  he  returned,  with 
a  rueful  shake  of  the  head. 

"  '  Knowledge  is  power ;'  intellect  can  often 
accomplish  more  than  brute  force  :  go  on  culti 
vating  your  mind  and  storing  up  information, 
and  opportunities  for  usefulness  will  be  given 
you  in  due  time,"  she  answered  with  her  bright, 
sweet  smile  ;  then  turned  with  a  cordial  greet 
ing  to  Lu  Grange  and  Claudina  and  Will  Chet- 
wood,  ushered  in  at  that  moment  by  Celestia 
Ann,  who  now  took  her  departure  to  the  kit 
chen — probably  thinking  Miss  Mildred  had 
listeners  enough  to  be  able  to  spare  her. 

The  piano  was  a  new  and  powerful  attrac 
tion  to  the  good  people  of  Pleasant  Plains, 
and  all  the  friends  and  acquaintance  of  the 
Keiths,  as  well  as  some  whose  title  to  either 
appellation  was  doubtful,  flocked  to  hear  it  in 
such  numbers  that  for  two  or  three  weeks  after 
its  arrival  Mildred  seemed  to  be  holding  a  levee 
almost  every  evening. 

"  How  my  time  is  being  wasted !"  she  sighed 
one  evening  as  the  door  closed  upon  the  last 
departing  guest. 


130  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"No,  dear,  I  think  not,"  responded  her 
mother,  with  an  affectionate  look  and  a  kindly 
reassuring  smile ;  "  you  are  recovering  lost 
ground — perfecting  yourself  in  facility  of  exe 
cution,  and  giving  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  ; 
and  it  is  no  small  privilege  to  be  permitted  to 
do  that  last — to  cheer  heavy  hearts,  to  lift  bur 
dens,  to  make  life  even  a  little  brighter  to  some 
of  our  fellow  creatures.  Is  not  that  so  ?" 

"  Yes,  mother,  it  is,  and  yet  I  find  it  very 
trying  to  have  my  plans  so  often  interfered 
with." 

"Ah!  my  child,  we  must  not  allow  ourselves 
to  become  too  much  attached  to  our  plans," 
returned  Mrs.  Keith,  with  a  slightly  hilrnorous 
look  and  tone,  and  passing  her  hand  caressing 
ly  over  Mildred's  hair ;  "  for  all  through  life 
we  shall  be  very  frequently  compelled  by  cir 
cumstances  to  set  them  aside." 

"Is  there  any  use  in  making  plans,  then  ?"  the 
girl  asked  half  impatiently. 

"Surely  there  is.  If  we  would  accomplish  any 
thing  worth  while,  we  must  lay  our  plans  care 
fully,  thoughtfully,  wisely;  then  carry  them 
out  with  all  energy  and  perseverance :  yet  not 
allow  ourselves  to  be  impatient  and  unhappy 
when  providentially  called  upon  to  set  them 
aside.  *  It  is  not  in  man  that  walketh  to  direct 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

his  steps  ;'  and  we  ought  to  be  not  only  willing 
to  bend  to  God's  providence,  but  glad  to  have 
him  choose  for  us." 

"Ah,  yes,  mother — yes  indeed!"  Mildred 
murmured,  a  dewy  light  coming  into  her  eyes ; 
"  if  one  could  only  always  realize  that  he  sends 
or  permits  these  little  trials  they  wouldn't  be 
hard  to  bear ;  for  it  is  sweet  to  have  him  choose 
for  us." 

It  so  happened  that  this  was  the  last  of  that 
trial  of  Mildred's  patience.  A  storm  set  in 
that  night  which  lasted  for  several  days,  keep 
ing  almost  everybody  at  home ;  then  came 
weeks  of  ice  and  snow,  making  fine  sleighing, 
skating,  and  sliding ;  thus  furnishing  other  and 
more  exciting  amusement  to  the  residents  of 
the  town,  both  old  and  young. 

The  Keiths  took  their  share  in  these  winter 
pastimes — Mildred  as  well  as  the  rest :  often 
doing  so  to  please  her  mother  rather  than  her 
self,  yet  always  finding  enjoyment  in  them. 

'Twas  a  busy  life  she  led  that  winter,  and  by 
no  means  an  unhappy  one,  spite  of  the  obstinate 
refusal  of  the  course  of  true  love  to  run  smooth. 

It  came  to  a  rougher  place,  to  deeper,  swifter 
rapids,  in  the  ensuing  spring. 

Through  all  these  months  of  separation  she 
and  Charlie  had  kept  up  a  correspondence, 


132  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

though  at  somewhat  irregular  and  infrequent 
intervals.  A  much  longer  time  than  usual  had 
now  passed,  and  yet  her  last  letter  to  him  re 
mained  unanswered.  She  was  secretly  very 
much  disturbed  in  mind,  sorely  troubled  lest 
some  evil  had  befallen  him,  though  not  per 
mitting  herself  to  doubt  for  a  moment  that  his 
love  for  her  remained  as  strong  and  fervent  as 
ever. 

At  last  a  letter  came.  Rupert  brought  it 
from  the  office  at  noon,  and  handed  it  to  her 
with  a  meaning  smile,  a  twinkle  of  fun  in  his 
eyes. 

"  Something  to  brighten  this  dull,  rainy  day 
for  you,  sis,"  he  said  gayly. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  returned,  flushing  rosy 
red,  and  her  heart  giving  a  joyous  bound  as  she 
slipped  the  missive  into  her  pocket. 

"  "What !  not  going  to  read  it  after  the  long 
journey  it  has  taken  to  reach  you  ?"  he  asked, 
lifting  his  eyebrows  in  mock  astonishment. 

"  Not  now,  it  will  keep ;  and  I  must  get 
mother's  toast  and  tea  ready  for  her — there'll 
be  barely  time  before  father  comes  in  to  din 
ner." 

"How  is  she?" 

"  Better,  but  not  able  to  be  up  yet.  These 
bad  headaches  always  leave  her  weak,  and  I 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  133 

shall  try  to  persuade  her  to  lie  still  all  the 
afternoon." 

"With  the  last  word  Mildred  hurried  away 
to  the  kitchen. 

The  morning  had  been  a  very  trying  one  : 
it  was  Monday,  the  day  of  the  week  on  which 
Celestia  Ann  always  insisted  upon  doing  the 
fa'nily  washing  without  regard  to  the  state  of 
the  weather.  She  prided  herself  on  getting 
her  clothes  out  early  and  having  them  white 
as  the  driven  snow,  and  her  temper  was  never 
proof  against  the  trial  of  a  Monday-morning 
storm. 

There  had  been  a  steady  pour  of  rain  since 
before  daybreak,  and  the  queen  of  the  kitchen 
consequently  in  anything  but  an  amiable  mood. 
A  severe  headache  had  kept  Mrs.  Keith  in  bed, 
and  to  Mildred  had  fallen  the  task  of  guiding 
and  controlling  the  domestic  machinery  and 
seeing  that  its  wheels  ran  smoothly. 

She  had  had  several  disputes  to  settle  be 
tween  Ada  and  Zillah  on  the  one  side,  and  the 
irate  maid-of-all-work  on  the  other  ;  also  much 
ado  to  induce  the  younger  children  to  attend  to 
their  lessons,  and  then  to  keep  them  amused 
and  quiet  that  her  mother  might  not  be  dis 
turbed  by  their  noise,  and  through  it  all  her 
heart  was  heavy  with  its  own  peculiar  burden ; 


134  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

besides,  atmospheric  influences  had  their  de 
pressing  effect  upon  her  spirits,  as  upon  those 
of  the  others,  and  more  than  once  a  sharp  or 
impatient  word,  repented  of  as  soon  as  uttered, 
had  escaped  her  lips. 

"  An  undeserved  blessing/'  was  her  remorse 
ful  thought  at  sight  of  the  letter.  "  It  may  be 
ill  news  to  be  sure — oh  if  it  should ! — yet  any 
thing  is  better  than  this  terrible  suspense." 

But  that  must  be  borne  until  she  could 
snatch  a  moment  of  solitude  in  which  to  end 
it. 

Zillah,  stooping  over  the  kitchen  fire,  looked 
up  hastily  as  her  sister  entered.  "You've 
come  to  get  mother's  dinner,  Milly  ?  Well, 
here  it  is  all  ready,"  pointing  to  the  teapot 
steaming  on  the  hearth,  beside  it  a  plate  of 
nicely  browned  and  buttered  toast. 

"  O  you  dear  good  girls  !"  was  Mildred's 
response  as  she  glanced  from  the  stove  to  the 
table,  upon  which  Ada  was  in  the  act  of  plac 
ing  a  neatly  arranged  tea  tray. 

"  As  if  it  wasn't  the  greatest  pleasure  in  the 
world  to  do  a  little  for  mother !"  exclaimed 
the  latter  half  indignantly.  "You  needn't 
think,  Milly,  that  the  rest  of  us  don't  love  her 
just  as  well  as  you  do." 

"  I  meant  no  such  insinuation,"  Mildred  said, 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  135 

half  laughing.  "  I'm  sure  our  mother  deserves 
the  greatest  possible  amount  of  love  and  devo 
tion  from  all  her  children.  But  may  I  claim 
the  privilege  of  carrying  up  the  dinner  you 
two  have  prepared  ?" 

"  Yes  :  I  suppose  it's  no  more  than  fair  to  let 
you  do  that  much ;  but  you  needn't  expect  me 
to  think  it's  any  great  goodness,"  Ada  answered, 
putting  the  finishing  touches  to  her  work,  and 
stepping  aside  to  let  Mildred  take  possession 
of  the  tray. 

"  Certainly  nothing  is  farther  from  my 
thoughts  than  claiming  credit  for  any  service 
done  to  mother,"  Mildred  answered  good-hu- 
moredly  as  she  took  up  the  tray  and  walked 
away  with  it. 

With  quick  light  step  she  passed  up  the 
stairs,  and  entering  her  mother's  room  with  al 
most  noiseless  tread,  was  greeted  with  a  smile. 

"  I  am  not  asleep,  dear ;  and  the  pain  ig 
nearly  gone,"  Mrs.  Keith  said,  speaking  from 
the  bed  in  low,  quiet  tones. 

"  I  am  so  glad,  mother,  and  I  hope  a  cup  ot 
tea  will  complete  the  cure,"  Mildred  answered 
softly,  setting  down  her  burden  on  a  little 
stand  by  the  bedside  and  gently  assisting  her 
mother  to  a  sitting  posture. 

"  A  dainty  little  meal !    My  dear  child,  you 


136  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

are  the  greatest  possible  comfort  to  me !"  Mrs. 
Keith  remarked  presently,  as  she  handed  back 
the  empty  cup. 

"  But  it  was  Zillah  and  Ada  who  prepared 
it  to-day,  mother,"  Mildred  returned,  ever  care 
ful  to  give  others  their  just  due,  though  her 
eyes  shone. 

"  Yes,  they  are  dear  girls  too,"  the  mother 
said  ;  "  I  am  greatly  blessed  in  my  children : 
but  I  was  thinking  more  of  the  freedom  from 
care  given  me  by  having  you  here  to  take  the 
head  of  affairs.  The  others,  though  doubtless 
equally  willing,  are  still  too  young  for  that. 
So  I  could  never  give  myself  up  to  the  full 
enjoyment  of  a  headache  while  you  were  away," 
she  added  in  her  own  peculiarly  pleasant,  sport 
ive  tone  and  manner. 

"  I  cannot  half  fill  your  place,  mother  dear ; 
I  have  not  half  your  wisdom  or  patience,"  Mil 
dred  said  with  a  blush  and  sigh. 

"  You  exaggerate  my  virtues,  Milly  ;  I  can 
imagine  from  past  experience  how  your 
patience  may  have  been  tried  to-day.  "Well, 
dear,  if  there  has  been  a  partial  failure,  do  not 
let  that  rob  you  of  your  peace.  '  Like  as  a 
father  pitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord  pitieth 
them  that  fear  him;'  and  though  he  cannot  look 
upon  sin  with  any  degree  of  allowance,  yet 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  137 

when  we  turn  from  it  with  true  repentance 
and  desire  after  holiness,  pleading  the  merits 
of  his  dear  Son  as  our  only  ground  of  accept 
ance,  we  find  him  ever  ready  to  forgive. 
What  a  blessing,  what  a  glorious  privilege  it 
is  that  we  have,  in  that  we  may  turn  in  heart 
.to  him  for  pardon  and  cleansing  the  moment 
we  are  conscious  of  sin  in  thought,  word,  or 
deed !" 

"  Yes,  mother  ;  I  do  feel  it  so.  And  how 
-strangely  kind  he  often  is  in  sending  joys  and 
comforts  when  we  feel  that  we  deserve  pun 
ishments  rather,"  Mildred  said  with  tears 
.springing  to  her  eyes,  as  she  drew  out  her  let 
ter  and  held  it  up. 

"From  Charlie!"  Mrs.  Keith  exclaimed, 
with  a  pleased  smile.  "  My  darling,  I  am  very 
.glad  for  you.  I  hope  it  brings  good  news." 

Mildred  turned  it  in  a  way  to  show  that  the 
seal  was  not  yet  broken,  answering  in  low, 
tremulous  tones,  and  between  a  smile  and  a 
sigh,  "I  have  not  found  out  yet.  It  must 
wait  for  a  quiet  after-dinner  half-hour." 

"My  brave,  patient  girl!"  Mrs.  Keith  said 
tenderly,  passing  a  hand  caressingly  over  Mil 
dred's  hair  and  cheek.  "  Let  mother  share  the 
joy  or  sorrow,  whichever  it  brings." 

Mildred  brought  but  scant  appetite  to  the 


138  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

meal,  which  seemed  to  her  an  unusually  long- 
and  tedious  one ;  but  she  was  able  to  control 
her  impatience  and  give  due  attention  to  the 
comfort  of  father,  brothers  and  sisters,  until  at 
length  she  found  herself  at  liberty  to  retire  for 
a  season  to  the  privacy  of  her  own  room. 

Her  hand  trembled  and  her  heart  beat  fast 
between  hope  and  fear  as  she  drew  the  letter 
from  her  pocket  and  broke  the  seal.  What  if 
it  brought  ill  news — that  Charlie  was  in  trou 
ble,  or  that  his  love  had  grown  cold  !  Had  she 
strength  to  bear  it  ? 

Oh,  not  of  herself  !  But  there  was  One  who- 
had  said,  "  In  me  is  thine  help."  "  Fear  thou 
not,  for  I  am  wtih  thee ;  be  not  dismayed ;  for 
I  am  thy  God  :  I  will  strengthen  thee  ;  yea,  I 
will  help  thee." 

One  moment's  silent  pleading  of  His  gra 
cious  promises,  and  she  had  grown  calm  and 
strong  to  endure  whatever  His  providence  hacf 
sent.  Tears  dropped  upon  the  paper  as  she 
read,  for  Charlie  was  indeed  in  sore  trouble. 
The  first  few  sentences  read  as  though  tha 
writer  were  half  frenzied  with  distress. 

"  He  had  lost  everything,"  so  he  wrote ; 
"  both  his  own  and  his  uncle's  property  had 
been  suddenly  and  completely  swept  away,  and 
the  shock  had  killed  the  old  gentleman — his 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  139 

only  near  relative — leaving  him  friendless  and 
alone  in  the  world ;  utterly  alone,  utterly 
friendless  ;  for  he  could  not  hope  that  she  who 
had  refused  him  in  prosperity  would  be  will 
ing  to  share  his  poverty.  Nor  could  he  ask  it. 
But  never,  never  could  he  forget  her,  never 
love  another." 

Then  under  a  later  date,  and  in  apparently 
calmer  mood,  he  continued  : 

"  I  am  about  to  leave  the  home  of  my  child 
hood  and  youth  ;  it  passes  to-day  into  the  hands 
of  strangers,  and  I  go  out  into  the  wide  world 
to  seek  some  way  of  retrieving  my  broken  for 
tunes.  "With  youth,  health  and  strength,  and 
a  liberal  education,  surely  I  need  not  despair 
of  finally  attaining  that  end,  though  it  will 
doubtless  take  years  of  toil  and  struggle  ;  but 
when  it  is  accomplished  you  shall  hear  from 
me  again  :  nay,  you  shall  find  me  at  your  feet, 
suing  for  the  priceless  boon  I  have  hitherto 
sought  in  vain.  I  will  not  despair,  for  my 
heart  tells  me  you  will  be  true  to  me  even 
through  many  long  years  of  separation — if  such 
fate  has  decreed  us — and  that  in  answer  to  your 
prayers  the  barrier  between  us  will  one  day  be 
swept  away." 

"  Share  his  poverty  !  Ah,  would  I  not  if  I 
might !"  Mildred  cried  half  aloud  and  with  a 


140  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

burst  of  tears.  "  What  greater  boon  could  I 
ask  than  the  privilege  of  comforting  him  in  his 
sorrows  !  O  Charlie,  Charlie,  you  have  given 
no  address,  and  so  put  it  out  of  my  power  to 
offer  even  the  poor  consolation  of  written 
words  of  sympathy,  of  hope  and  cheer !" 

No  one  came  to  disturb  Mildred  in  her 
solitude ;  she  had  time  for  thought  and  for  the 
casting  of  her  care  upon  Him  who  was  her 
strong  refuge,  whereunto  she  might  continu 
ally  resort. 

Mrs.  Keith  had  not  left  her  own  room,  and 
downstairs  the  two  elder  girls  were  busied 
with  their  needles,  while  Rupert  kept  the 
younger  children  quiet  with  kite-making  and 
a  story,  moved  thereto  partly  by  a  good-na 
tured  desire  for  their  amusement,  but  princi 
pally  through  affectionate  concern  for  mother 
and  elder  sister. 

Mrs.  Keith  lay  on  her  couch,  thinking,  a 
little  anxiously,  of  Mildred,  when  the  door 
opened  and  the  young  girl  stole  softly  to  her 
side. 

"  Is  it  ill  news,  my  darling  ?"  the  mother 
asked  in  tender,  pitying  accents,  glancing  up 
compassionately  at  the  dewy  eyes  and  tear 
stained  cheeks. 

"  I  will  read  you  his  letter,  mother.     You 


MILDRED   AND  ELSIE. 

know  I  have  no  secrets  from  you,  my  loved 
and  only  confidante,"  Mildred  answered  a  little 
tremulously,  and  stooping  to  press  a  kiss  on 
her  mother's  lips. 

Then  seating  herself,  she  unfolded  the  sheet 
and  read  in  low  tones,  which  she  vainly  tried 
to  make  calm  and  even. 

"  Ah,  mother,  if  only  he  were  a  Christian !" 
she  exclaimed  with  a  burst  of  uncontrollable 
weeping. 

"  Do  not  despair  of  seeing  him  such  one 
day,"  her  mother  returned,  laying  a  gentle, 
quieting  hand  on  that  of  the  weeper.  "  God 
is  the  hearer  and  answerer  of  prayer ;  the  an 
swer  may  be  long  delayed,  for  the  trial  of  your 
faith,  but  it  will  come  at  last." 

"  What  is  Charlie  waiting  for  ?"  sighed  Mil 
dred.  "  How  strange  that  he  cannot  see  that 
God's  time  for  the  sinner  to  come  and  be  rec 
onciled  to  him  is  always  now !  Ah,  I  do  so 
want  him  to  know  the  comfort  of  casting  all  his 
care  on  the  Lord — the  blessedness  of  the  man 
who  trusts  in  him !" 

"  Yes,  it  is  a  strange  delusion  !  It  is  one  of 
Satan's  devices  to  persuade  men  to  put  off  this 
most  important  of  all  transactions  to  a  more 
convenient  season,  which  he  knows  will  never 
come.  But,  dear  child,  we  will  unite  our 


142  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

prayers  on  Charlie's  behalf  to  Him  who  has  all 
power  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  and  who  has 
graciously  promised,  '  If  two  of  you  shall  agree 
on  earth  as  touching  anything  that  they  shall 
ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them  of  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven.' " 


CHAPTER  XL 

"Ah!  what  is  human  life? 
How,  like  the  dial's  tardy  moving  shade, 
Day  after  day  slides  from  us  unperceiv'dl 
The  cunning  fugitive  is  swift  by  stealth; 
Too  subtle  is  the  movement  to  be  seen ; 
Yet  soon  the  hour  is  up — and  we  are  gone." 

Youwo. 

"  MOTHER,  he  seems  to  imply  that  I  am  not 
likely  to  hear  from  him  again  for  years,  Mil 
dred  remarked,  half  in  assertion,  half  as  asking 
her  mother's  understanding  of  the  drift  of 
young  Landreth's  communication. 

"  Yes,  I  think  so,"  Mrs.  Keith  responded  in 
gentle,  pitying  tones.  Then  more  brightly  and 
•cheerily,  "  But  perhaps,  dear,  that  certainty  is 
better — will  be  less  trying — than  a  constantly 
disappointed  looking  for  of  letters." 

Mildred  gave  a  silent  assent,  while  a  tear 
rolled  quickly  down  her  cheek.  She  dashed  it 
hastily  aside.  "Mother,  dearest  mother,  you 
must  help  me  to  be  brave  and  cheerful,  not 
letting  this  disappointment  and  anxiety  spoil 
my  life  and  make  me  a  burden  to  myself  and 
others,"  she  whispered  tremulously,  laying  her 
head  on  her  mother's  pillow  and  gazing  IOT- 


144  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

ingly,  but  through  gathering  tears,  into  those 
dear  eyes. 

"I  will,  my  poor  darling,"  returned  Mrs, 
Keith  in  moved  tones,  putting  an  arm  about 
her  daughter's  neck  and  drawing  her  closer 
till  cheek  rested  against  cheek ;  "  and  there  is 
One  who,  with  all  power  at  his  command,  and 
loving  you  even  more  tenderly  than  your  mo 
ther  does,  will  give  you  such  help  and  conso 
lation  in  this  sore  trial  as  she  cannot  give." 

"I  know  it;  I  am  sure  of  it,"  murmured 
Mildred.  "I  can  trust  him  for  myself — 
though  the  way  looks  dark  and  dreary — but — 
O  mother,  it  is  not  so  easy  to  trust  for  Char 
lie!" 

"  Perhaps,  dear,  that  is  one  reason  why  this 
trial  is  sent  you :  trust  for  our  dear  ones  as 
well  as  for  ourselves  is  a  lesson  we  all  need  to 
learn." 

"  And  to  teach  me  patience,  which  is  another 
lesson  I  greatly  need  and  am  very  slow  to 
learn,"  sighed  Mildred.  " '  The  trying  of  your 
faith  worketh  patience.  But  let  patience  have 
her  perfect  work.'  Oh,  shall  I  ever  be  able  to 
do  that !" 

"  Yes,  at  last ;  I  am  assured  of  it :  '  being 
confident  of  this  very  thing,  that  he  who  hath 
begun  a  good  work  in  you  will  perform  it  un- 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  145 

til  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ.'  'In  all  these 
things  we  are  more  than  conquerors  through 
him  that  loved  us.'  And  trusting  in  him,, 
living  near  to  him,  in  the  light  of  his  coun 
tenance,  we  may  have,  we  shall  have  great  joy 
and  peace  in  spite  of  tribulations." 

"And  those  I  know  all  must  have  in  one 
way  or  another,"  said  Mildred  a  little  sadly, 
"  because  we  are  told  in  Acts, '  we  must  through 
much  tribulation  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God;'  and  Jesus  told  his  disciples,  'In  the 
world  ye  shall  have  tribulation.'  " 

"  But,  he  added,  '  Be  of  good  cheer :  I  have 
overcome  the  world,' "  Mrs.  Keith  said  with 
emotion,  a  joyous  light  shining  in  her  eyes. 

"  Mother,"  said  Mildred,  "  I  once  heard  the 
assertion  that  God's  people  were  peculiarly 
marked  out  for  trouble  and  trial  in  this  world ; 
that  they  must  expect  to  have  more  than  was 
allotted  to  worldlings.  Do  you  think  that  is 
true  ?" 

"  No,  I  find  no  such  teaching  in  Scripture, 
nor  has  experience  of  life  taught  it  to  me. 
'  Many  sorrows  shall  be  to  the  wicked,  but  he 
that  trusteth  in  the  Lord,  mercy  shall  compass 
him  about.'  '  Many  are  the  afflictions  of  the 
righteous,  but  the  Lord  delivereth  him  out  of 
them  all.'  '  O  fear  the  Lord,  ye  his  saints, 


146  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

for  there  is  no  want  to  them  that  fear  him ! ' 
<  Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things,  having 
promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that 
which  is  to  come.'  The  Bible  is  full  of  the 
blessedness  of  those  who  fear  and  trust  the 
Lord." 

"'Whom  the  Lord  loveth  \e  chasteneth, 
and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  e  receiveth," 
quoted  Mildred  doubtfully. 

"  Ah,  yes ;  the  afflictions  of  the,  righteous  are 
the  loving  discipline  of  a  tender  Father,  while 
upon  the  incorrigibly  wicked  he  pours  out  his 
fury  in  judgments  that  bring  no  healing  to 
their  souls — only  retribution  for  the  sins  unre- 
pented  of  and  unf  orgiven.  '  Upon  the  wicked 
he  shall  rain  snares,  fire  and  brimstone,  and  an 
horrible  tempest :  this  shall  be  the  portion  of 
their  cup.' " 

The  door  opened  softly  and  Ada  looked  cau 
tiously  in. 

"  That  is  right,  dear,"  Mrs.  Keith  said,  greet 
ing  the  child  with  a  loving  smile ;  "  come  in 
and  give  mother  a  kiss.  The  pain  is  quite  gone, 
and  I  am  going  to  get  up  now  and  dress  for  tea." 

"  Don't,  mother,  unless  you  feel  quite,  quite 
strong  and  well,"  the  little  girl  entreated,  re 
ceiving  and  returning  a  tender  caress.  "  I'm 
so  glad  you  are  better  (oh,  it  isn't  nice  to  have 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  147 

to  do  without  mother !  though  I'm  sure  Milly 
has  tried  her  very  best  to  fill  your  place).  I 
wouldn't  have  come  here — because  I  was  afraid 
of  disturbing  you — but  there's  a  boy  down 
stairs  asking  if  Milly  will  go  and  watch  to-night 
with  a  sick  woman — Mrs.  Martin.  Claudina 
Chetwood's  to  watch,  but  there  ought  to  be 
two,  he  says,  and  they  don't  know  of  anybody 
else  for  to-night.  She's  been  sick  so  long  that 
'most  everybody  is  worn  out." 

Professional  nurses  were  unknown  in  the 
town,  and  in  time  of  sickness  the  only  depend 
ence  for  needed  attention,  outside  of  the  suf 
ferer's  own  family,  was  upon  the  kindness  of 
neighbors,  and  as  a  rule  they  were  exceeding 
kind. 

Mrs.  Martin's  health  had  been  declining  for 
many  months ;  for  weeks  she  had  been  con 
fined  to  bed  and  in  a  condition  to  need  con 
stant  watching  and  waiting  upon. 

The  Keiths  had  scarcely  a  speaking  acquaint 
ance  with  her,  but  that  made  no  difference 
when  help  was  needed. 

"  Do  you  feel  equal  to  the  task,  Mildred  ?" 
asked  her  mother.  "  I  shall  be  sorry  to  have 
you  lose  your  night's  rest ;  but  you  can  make 
it  up  to-morrow.  I  am  not  likely  to  have  a 
return  of  the  headache,  and  when  I  am  '  to  the 


148  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

fore '  you  can  be  spared,  you  know,"  she  added 
sportively,  and  with  a  world  of  motherly  pride 
and  affection  in  the  look  she  bent  upon  her 
first-born. 

"  Yes,  mother ;  it  will  not  hurt  me,  and  I  can't 
hesitate  when  duty  seems  so  plain,"  Mildred 
answered  cheerfully.  "How  soon  do  they 
want  me,  Ada  ?" 

"  He  says  about  nine  o'clock.  Mrs.  Prior's 
going  to  stay  till  then.  I'll  go  down  and  tell 
nim  they  may  expect  you ;"  and  with  the  last 
word  Ada  left  the  room. 

Mrs.  Keith  had  left  the  bed  for  a  low  seat 
before  her  toilet  table,  and  Mildred  was  softly 
brushing  out  and  arranging  her  still  beautiful 
and  abundant  hair,  very  tenderly  careful  lest 
too  rude  a  touch  should  cause  a  return  of  the 
torturing  pain. 

"  Poor,  poor  woman !"  sighed  Mrs.  Keith, 
thinking  of  Mrs.  Martin. 

"  Is  she  considered  very  dangerously  ill,  mo 
ther  ?"  asked  Mildred. 

"  Mrs.  Prior  was  telling  me  about  her  yes 
terday,"  Mrs.  Keith  answered.  "Dr.  Grange 
eays  she  has  not  long  to  live;  but  worst  of 
all,  Milly,  she  is  dying  without  hope." 

"  O  mother,  how  terrible !  And  has  no  one 
tried  to  lead  her  to  Jesus?  has  no  one  told  her 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

of  his  great  love  and  his  power  and  willingness 
to  save  ?'" 

"  Yes,  months  ago,  while  she  was  still  up 
and  about  her  house,  Mrs.  Prior  and  others  tried 
to  talk  to  her  about  her  soul's  salvation,  but 
she  refused  to  listen,  angrily  telling  them  she 
was  too  weak  to  trouble  herself  with  trying  to 
think  on  that  subject  now,  and  must  wait  until 
she  grew  stronger ;  and  all  the  time  growing 
weaker  and  weaker.  My  child,  I'm  glad  you 
are  to  be  with  her  to-night,  for  who  knows  but 
you  may  find  a  fitting  moment  in  which  you 
may  speak  a  word  that  God  may  bless  to  the 
saving  of  her  soul." 

"  How  glad  I  should  be  to  do  it,"  Mildred 
answered  with  emotion, /'but  I  am  so  young, 
and  foolish  and  ignorant !  Mother,  how  can  I 
hope  to  succeed  where  older  and  wiser  people- 
have  failed?" 

" '  Not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  my 
Spirit,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.'  He  often  works 
by  the  feeblest  instrumentalities,  and  may  see 
fit  to  use  even  you,  my  dear  girl.  Ask  his 
help  and  his  blessing  upon  your  effort,  remem 
bering  his  promise,  'If  any  of  you  lack  wis 
dom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men 
liberally  and  upbraideth  not ;  and  it  shall  be 
given  him.'" 


150  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  I  will  watch  for  an  opportunity,  and  you 
Tvill  help  me  with  your  prayers,  mother  ?" 

"You  may  be  sure  of  that,  dear  child." 

"  But,  O  mother !  how  very  much  better  you 
could  speak  to  her  than  I." 

"I  doubt  it,  Milly ;  for  the  work  must  be  of 
God,  or  it  will  come  to  naught ;  and  he  can  as 
readily  make  use  of  your  mind  and  tongue  as 
of  mine.  Don't  rely  on  yourself ;  don't  forget 
that  you  are  only  an  instrument." 

In  spite  of  a  very  honest  and  earnest  deter 
mination  to  be  cheerful  under  this  new  trial  of 
her  faith  and  patience,  and  to  bear  her  own 
burden  according  to  the  scriptural  command, 
Mildred  seemed  to  her  father  a  little  sad-eyed 
and  paler  than  her  wont,  as  he  looked  at  her 
across  the  tea.table. 

"My  child,"  he  said,  "I  hear  you  are  ex 
pecting  to  watch  with  the  sick  to-night,  but 
really  I'm  afraid  you  are  not  able  to  do  so ; 
you  do  not  look  well. ' 

"  Appearances  are  sometimes  deceitful,  you 
know,  iather,"  she  returned,  with  an  effort  to 
be  bright  and  lively.  "  I  am  quite  well,  and 
if  fatigued  to-night  can  rest  and  sleep  to-mor 
row." 

"Well,"  he  said,  only  half  convinced,  "lie 
•down  until  it  is  time  for  you  to  go." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  16J 

"Yes,  Mildred,  if  you  can  get  an  hour  or 
two  of  sleep  before  your  watch  begins,  it  will 
be  a  great  help,"  said  her  mother.  "  We  will 
call  you  at  nine." 

"  Half -past  eight,  if  you  please,  mother.  I 
want  to  be  there  in  time  to  ask  directions  of 
Mrs.  Prior  before  she  leaves." 

Mildred  was  not  sorry  to  seek  the  quiet  and 
solitude  of  her  own  room,  but  she  scarcely 
slept.  She  seemed  to  have  but  just  fallen  into 
a  doze  when  Rupert  knocked  at  her  door  to 
say  that  it  wanted  but  ten  minutes  of  the  time 
she  had  set  for  starting,  and  he  was  ready  to 
see  her  to  her  destination. 

"  I'm  glad  you  came  early,"  was  Mrs.  Prior's 
greeting,  "  for  indeed  I  ought  to  be  at  home 
seeing  to  things  there.  They're  pretty  sure  to 
go  at  sixes  and  sevens  when  I'm  away;  and 
even  if  my  boarders  don't  growl  about  it, 
'tain't  treatin'  'em  exactly  fair.  But  I'll  not 
leave  you  alone  with  her.  Claudina'll  be  here 
directly,  and  I'll  stay  till  she  comes." 

"Oh,  thank  you!"  Mildred  said.  "I 
shouldn't  like  to  be  left  alone  with  any  one 
who  is  so  ill,  and  I  shall  need  to  be  told  just, 
what  I'm  to  do.  How  is  she  now?" 

"  Can't  last  much  longer,  poor  thing,"  Mrs. 
Prior  returned  with  a  sad  shake  of  the  head  f; 


152  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  she's  dreadful  weak  and  short  o'  breath,  and 
:awful  afraid  to  go.  Dear,  dear,  to  think  of 
anybody  putting  off  preparation  to  the  last 
minute  when  they  know  they've  got  to  die, 
and  after  that  the  judgment !  And  she  won't 
allow  a  minister  to  come  into  the  house,  or  let 
anybody  say  a  word  to  her  about  her  soul. 
Several  has  tried;  I  have  myself,  but  it's  no 
use.  Perhaps  if  she'd  been  approached  in  the 
:right  way  at  first,  it  might  have  been  different. 
Damaris  Drybread  was  the  first,  I  believe,  to 
say  anything  to  her ;  and  between  you  and  me, 
though  Damaris  means  well,  she's  not  always 
•over  wise  in  her  way  of  doing  what  she  con 
siders  her  duty.  But  there !  I  must  run  back 
to  her.  She  oughtn't  to  be  left  alone  a  minute. 
Come  into  the  sitting-room  and  take  off  your 
things." 

The  door  into  the  next  room,  where  the  in 
valid  lay,  was  open,  and  Mildred  could  hear 
her  moaning  and  complaining  in  hollow,  de 
spairing  tones,  Mrs.  Prior  answering  in  cheer 
ful,  soothing  accents. 

Presently  Mrs.  Prior  stepped  back  to  the 
•door  and  beckoned  Mildred  in. 

"  This  is  Miss  Keith,  Mrs.  Martin,"  she  said. 
""  She  and  Miss  Chetwood  will  watch  with  you 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  153 

to-night  and  do  all  they  can  to  make  you  com 
fortable." 

"  Yes,  you're  all  very  kind.  I  know  you'd 
help  me  if  you  could ;  but  nobody  can  give 
me  a  minute's  ease,  and  nobody  knows  what  I 
have  to  suffer,"  moaned  the  sick  woman,  gaz 
ing  piteously  into  the  fresh  young  face  bending 
over  her. 

Mildred's  eyes  filled  with  tears,  and  she 
opened  her  lips  to  speak,  but  was  stopped  by 
a  hasty  exclamation :  "Hush!  don't  say  a  word ! 
don't  talk  to  me !  don't  ask  me  any  questions ! 
I  won't  hear  it !  I  can't  bear  it !  I'm  too  weak." 

"  I  can  only  pray  for  her,"  was  Mildred's 
thought  as  she  turned  sorrowfully  away  and 
hastened  to  the  outer  door,  where  some  one 
had  rapped  lightly. 

It  was  Claudina,  and  after  giving  them  the 
necessary  instructions  Mrs.  Prior  left  them  to 
their  melancholy  duty. 

As  there  was  not  more  to  be  done  than  one 
could  easily  attend  to,  she  had  advised  them  to 
take  turns  in  watching  and  sleeping.  There 
was  a  lounge  in  the  sitting-room,  where  one 
might  rest  very  comfortably ;  Claudina  stretch 
ed  herself  on  it  and  almost  immediately  fell 
asleep,  Mildred  having  chosen  the  first  watch. 


154  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

The  latter  established  herself  in  the  sick 
room  in  an  arm-chair  by  the  bedside.  She  had 
brought  a  book,  but  the  night  lamp  did  not 
give  sufficient  light  for  reading. 

The  invalid  slept  fitfully,  tossing,  moaning, 
and  sighing  in  her  sleep,  and  still  more  during 
her  moments  of  wakefulness. 

Mildred  had  never  felt  wider  awake,  so 
strangely,  fearfully  solemn  it  seemed  to  sit 
there  alone,  waiting  the  coming  of  the  angel 
of  death  to  one  who  shuddered  and  shrank  at 
his  approach.  Again  and  again  while  the  dy 
ing  woman  slept  her  watcher  knelt  by  the 
bedside  and  poured  out  fervent  though  silent 
petitions  on  her  behalf.  And  for  Charlie  too ; 
for  her  thoughts  were  full  of  him  as  well,  and 
oh!  at  that  moment  it  seemed  a  small  matter 
that  they  might  never  meet  on  earth,  could  she 
only  have  the  blessed  assurance  that  eternity 
would  unite  them  in  another  and  better  world. 

"What's  that  you're  doing?"  asked  the 
patient,  waking  suddenly.  "  Oh,  I'm  in  awful 
distress !  Kub  me  with  some  of  that  liniment, 
won't  you  ?" 

Mildred  complied,  doing  her  best  to  give 
relief  to  the  physical  suffering,  and  crying 
mightily  in  her  heart  to  the  Great  Physician 
for  the  healing  of  the  sin-sick  soul. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  155 

Oh,  the  distress  and  anguish  in  those  hollow, 
sunken  eyes,  and  expressed  in  every  lineament 
of  the  wasted  features ! 

The  bony  hand  clutched  wildly  at  Mildred's 
dress  and  drew  her  down  close,  while  the  pale 
lips  gasped,  "  I'm  dying,  and  I'm  not  prepared ! 
But  I  can't  think — I'm  too  weak.  I  must 
wait  till  I  get  stronger." 

"  Oh  no,  no !  come  now  to  Jesus !  He  waits 
with  open  arms  to  receive  you,"  cried  Mildred, 
the  tears  coursing  fast  down  her  cheeks.  "  He 
died  to  save  you,  and  he  is  able  and  willing 
to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  who  come  to  him. 
Come  now." 

"  Too  late,  too  late !  I'm  too  weak !  I  can't 
think !  Don't  talk  to  me  any  more." 

Mildred's  ear  barely  caught  the  faintly 
breathed  words,  and  with  the  last  the  hollow 
eyes  closed,  whether  in  sleep  she  could  not  tell. 

She  found  herself  growing  very  weary,  and 
the  hands  of  the  clock  pointed  to  a  half  hour 
past  the  set  time  for  her  vigil.  She  stole  softly 
into  the  next  room,  roused  Claudina,  and  took 
her  place. 

Her  last  thought  as  she  fell  into  a  dreamless 
slumber  was  a  prayer  for  the  two  for  whom  she 
had  been  so  importunately  pleading. 

She  had  not  slept  more  than  a  moment  when 


156  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

a  hand  was  laid  on  her  shoulder,  and  Claudina's 
voice,  trembling  with  fright,  said,  "  Mildred, 
Mildred,  O  Mildred,  she's  gone !" 

"Who?"  she  asked,  starting  up  only  half 
awake. 

"  Mrs.  Martin.  I  was  rubbing  her,  and  she 
moaned  out,  '  I'm  too  weak.  I  can't  think.  I 
must  wait  till  I'm  stronger,'  and  with  the  last 
word  turned  her  head,  gasped  once,  and  was 
gone." 

Claudina  shuddered  and  hid  her  face.  "  O 
Mildred,"  she  whispered,  "  those  words  of  our 
Saviour  are  ringing  in  my  ears,  '  What  shall  it 
profit  a  man  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world 
and  lose  his  own  soul?'  As  a  girl  her  head 
was  full  of  dress  and  beaux  and  having  a  good 
time ;  as  a  married  woman — keeping  the  best 
table,  the  neatest  house,  and  helping  her  hus 
band  to  get  on  in  the  world.  She  had  no  time 
to  think  about  her  soul  until  sickness  came, 
and  then  she  said  she  was  too  weak,  she  must 
wait  to  grow  stronger." 

They  clasped  each  other's  hands  and  wept 
silently. 

Presently  there  was  a  sound  of  some  one 
moving  about  the  kitchen.  "The  girl's  up," 
said  Claudina,  rising  from  her  kneeling  pos 
ture  beside  the  lounge.  "  I'll  go  and  tell  her, 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  157 

and  she'll  let  Mr.  Martin  know.  O,  the  poor, 
motherless  baby !" 

She  left  the  room,  and  Mildred,  starting  up, 
saw  through  the  crack  at  the  side  of  the  win 
dow-blind  that  the  sun  had  risen  and  Mrs.  Prior 
was  at  the  door,  come  to  inquire  how  the  sick 
woman  was. 

Through  the  sweet  morning  air,  pure  and 
bracing  after  yesterday's  showers,  Mildred 
walked  home,  full  of  solemn,  anxious  thoughts : 
Charlie  was  a  wanderer,  she  knew  not  whither, 
his  absorbing  desire  and  anxiety  to  retrieve  his 
broken  fortunes.  "Oh  that  he  would  seek 
first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteous 
ness  !"  Henceforward  that  should  be  the  bur 
den  of  her  prayer  for  him,  for  herself,  for  all 
her  dear  ones. 

Then  her  heart  was  filled  with  a  great 
thankfulness  for  the  spared  lives  of  all  these. 
Some  of  them  had  already  made  preparation 
for  that  last,  long  journey  which,  sooner  or 
later,  every  son  and  daughter  of  Adam  must 
take,  and  to  the  others  time  was  still  given. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

"Awake  in  me  a  truer  life, 

A  soul  to  labor  and  aspire  1 
Touch  thou  my  mortal  lips,  O  God ! 
With  thine  own  truth's  immortal  flre. " 

SARA  J.  CLARKK. 

YES,  it  was  joy  and  gladness  just  to  be  alive 
this  sweet  spring  morning.  The  swift-flowing 
river  gleamed  and  sparkled  in  the  sunlight; 
the  forest  trees  on  the  farther  side  were 
touched  with  a  tender  yellow  green;  the 
grass  along  the  wayside  and  in  the  dooryardft 
was  of  a  deeper,  richer  hue,  and  spangled 
thickly  with  violets  and  dandelions,  and  the 
peach  and  cherry  trees  in  the  gardens  were  in 
full  bloom ;  the  air  was  filled  with  fragrance, 
and  with  the  twittering  of  birds,  the  ripple  of 
the  water,  and  other  pleasant  rural  sounds. 

The  music  of  glad  young  voices  came  pleas 
antly  to  Mildred's  ear  as  she  reached  her 
father's  gate,  and  Fan  and  Annis,  who  had 
been  stooping  over  the  flower-beds,  came 
bounding  to  meet  her  with  a  joyous  greeting. 

"  How  is  mother  ?"  was  her  first  question. 

"  Well ;  she's  downstairs  in  the  sitting-room 
cutting  out  sewing  work." 


MILDEED  AND  EL8IE.  159 

"  Yes ;  she's  sure  to  be  busy,"  Mildred  said, 
hurrying  into  the  house,  bidding  good-morn 
ing,  as  she  passed,  to  Ada,  who  was  sweeping 
the  front  porch. 

Every  one  was  busy  with  a  cheerful,  ener 
getic  activity ;  Zillah  preparing  breakfast,  while 
Celestia  Ann  put  out  her  clothes  to  dry; 
Bupert  milked  the  cow,  and  the  younger  boys 
fed  the  chickens. 

"  Mother !  so  early  at  work  after  your  sick 
ness  yesterday,"  Mildred  said  in  a  tone  of 
affectionate  remonstrance  as  she  entered  the 
sitting-room. 

"Yes,  daughter  dear,  there  is  need,  and  I 
am  quite  able  for  it,"  Mrs.  Keith  answered, 
looking  up  with  a  cheery  smile.  "  And  you 
are  not  looking  so  worn  and  jaded  as  I  feared 
to  see  you.  Did  you  get  some  sleep?  and 
how  is  the  poor  sick  woman  ?" 

"  Yes,  ma'am,  I  slept  several  hours,  and  am 
feeling  pretty  well.  Mrs.  Martin  died  about 
half  an  hour  ago — very  suddenly  at  the  last. 
Claudina  was  with  her.  I  was  asleep." 

Mildred's  eyes  filled  and  her  voice  was 
husky  with  emotion  as  she  told  of  the  solemn 
event. 

A  silent  shake  of  the  head  was  the  only 
answer  she  could  give  to  her  mother's  next 


160  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

question,  whether  the  dying  woman  had  given 
any  evidence  that  she  was  putting  her  trust  in 
Christ. 

A  look  of  sadness  and  pain  came  over  the 
face  of  the  Christian  mother  also,  while  her 
heart  sent  up  a  silent,  fervent  prayer  on  behalf 
of  her  dear  ones,  that  each  of  them  might  be 
found  at  last  hidden  in  the  Rock  of  Ages. 

"My  dear  child,"  she  said  to  Mildred,  "let 
us  look  upon  this  sad  event  as  a  solemn  warn 
ing  to  us  to  be  more  faithful  and  constant  in 
the  work  of  striving  to  win  souls  to  Christ; 
remembering  that  '  the  night  cometh,  when  no 
man  can  work.'  Ah !  can  I  be  sure  that  I  am 
utterly  guiltless  of  the  blood  of  this  woman,  to 
whom  I  never  spoke  one  word  of  warning  or 
entreaty?" 

"Mother,  don't  blame  yourself!"  cried  Mil 
dred  in  almost  indignant  surprise.  "  You  had 
not  even  a  speaking  acquaintance  with  her." 

"  But,  my  dear,  I  might  have  had.  I  could 
easily  have  found  some  excuse  for  calling  upon 
her  in  her  sickness,  had  I  not  allowed  myself 
to  be  too  much  taken  up  with  other  cares  and 
duties." 

"  But  you  can't  do  everything  and  take  care 
of  everybody,"  said  Mildred  with  affectionate 
warmth;  "and  you  are  always  at  some  good 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  161 

and  useful  work.  It  is  I  who  ought  to  take 
the  lesson  to  heart.  And,  God  helping  me,  I 
will,"  she  added,  in  low,  earnest,  trembling 
tones.  "  O  mother,  I  feel  this  morning  that 
the  things  of  this  world  are  as  nothing  com 
pared  with  those  of  the  next,  and  I  want  to 
show  by  my  life  that  I  do  feel  so !  I  want  to 
spend  it  wholly  in  the  Master's  service,  par 
ticularly  in  winning  souls ;  for,  oh !  the  awful 
thought  of  one  being  lost." 

That  these  were  no  idle,  lightly  spoken 
words,  was  proven  as  days,  weeks,  and  months 
rolled  on,  by  the  ever-growing  consistency  of 
Mildred's  daily  walk  and  conversation ;  her 
constant  effort  to  bring  her  daily  life  into  con 
formity  to  the  divine  precept,  "  Whether  there 
fore  ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do 
all  to  the  glory  of  God ;"  and  that  other,  "  As 
we  have  therefore  opportunity,  let  us  do  good 
unto  all  men,  especially  unto  them  who  are  of 
the  household  of  faith." 

The  members  of  the  home-circle  were  the 
first  to  feel  the  change  in  Mildred.  She  could 
hardly  have  made  herself  more  helpful  than 
she  had  long  been,  but  her  cheerfulness  was 
more  uniform,  and  the  younger  ones  found 
her  more  patient  with  their  shortcomings, 
more  ready  with  sympathy  and  help  in  their 


162  MILDJRED  AND  ELSIE. 

little  trials  and  perplexities.  They  soon  learned 
to  carry  them  to  her  as  readily  as  to  their  best 
and  kindest  of  mothers.  They  thought  their 
eldest  sister  very  wise,  and  liked  to  consult 
her  about  their  plans.  This  gave  her  many  an 
opportunity  to  influence  them  for  good,  and 
very  rarely  was  it  neglected. 

Spring  was  a  very  busy  season  with  them 
all;  within  doors  house-cleaning  and  a  vast 
amount  of  sewing — so  many  new  garments  to 
be  made,  so  many  old  ones  to  be  renovated 
and  altered  to  suit  the  increased  stature  of  the 
growing  lads  and  lasses ;  outside  the  garden 
ing,  the  making  everything  neat  and  trim,  and 
the  care  of  the  poultry. 

Lessons  were  intermitted  for  two  or  three 
weeks,  to  give  the  older  members  of  the  family 
time  for  their  unusual  labors,  while  the  chil 
dren  revelled  in  the  delights  of  digging,  plant 
ing,  and  sowing,  looking  after  their  sitting 
hens  and  tending  their  broods  of  little  chicks. 
There  was  a  great  deal  of  healthful  pleasure 
gotten  out  of  the  little  plots  of  ground  appro 
priated  in  severalty  to  Cyril,  Don,  Fan,  and 
Annis,  and  hardly  less  from  their  fowls ;  be 
sides,  the  young  owners  were  learning  habits 
of  industry  and  thrift ;  also  the  enjoyment  of 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

being  able  to  give  to  the  Lord's  cause  of  that 
which  had  cost  them  something. 

A  beggar  was  a  thing  almost  unknown  in 
the  town,  and  there  were  very  few  people 
poor  enough  to  be  objects  of  charity ;  but  it 
was  nice,  the  children  thought,  to  have  some 
thing  of  their  very  own  to  put  into  the  church 
or  Sabbath-school  collection,  especially  when 
it  was  to  go  to  buy  Bibles  and  pay  for  sending 
missionaries  to  the  poor  benighted  heathen. 

The  cause  of  missions  was  dear  to  the  hearts 
of  the  parents,  and  they  were  training  their 
children  to  love  and  work  for  it. 

Rupert  was  the  principal  gardener  and 
manager  of  outdoor  matters.  He  had  full 
charge  of  the  fruit  and  vegetable  garden  on 
his  father's  ground,  and  it  flourished  under 
his  care.  But  not  content  with  that,  he  had 
his  own  lot  and  Mildred's — which  he  un 
dertook  to  cultivate  upon  shares — ploughed 
up,  then  sowed  them  with  corn,  potatoes  and 
melons. 

He  had  his  mother's  talent  for  system  ;  and, 
making  the  best  use  of  every  spare  moment, 
an  early  riser,  industrious,  energetic,  and  pains 
taking,  he  managed  to  do  all  this  without  neg 
lecting  the  studies,  in  preparation  for  college^ 
which  he  was  still  pursuing  with  Mr.  Lord. 


164  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

He  even  found  time  for  setting  out  trees 
and  shrubs,  and  digging  up  the  flower-beds  in 
the  front  and  side  yards ;  doing  all  the  hard 
work  needed  there,  then  giving  them  into  the 
care  of  his  mother  and  the  older  girls,  who 
contrived  to  spare  to  the  pleasing  task  an  occa 
sional  half  hour  morning  and  evening,  finding 
it  a  rest  from  almost  constant  toil  with  the 
needle. 

Cheerfully  busy  as  Mildred  was  from  morn 
ing  to  night,  Charlie  was  seldom  absent  from 
her  thoughts:  she  followed  him  in  imagina 
tion  through  all  his  wanderings,  the  unbidden 
tears  often  springing  to  her  eyes  as  she  dwelt 
upon  the  loneliness  and  hardships  he  was  doubt 
less  called  to  endure;  her  only  comfort  that 
she  might  constantly  plead  for  him  with  that 
almighty  Friend  who  knew  it  all,  and  was  ever 
near  to  both  herself  and  her  loved  one. 

She  hoped,  she  prayed,  that  Charlie  might 
be  restored  to  her,  with  the  barrier  to  their 
union  removed ;  but  most  of  all,  that  whether 
she  should  ever  see  him  again  on  earth  or  not, 
he  might  inherit  eternal  life. 

Her  father  and  mother,  Eupert,  and  Zillah 
were  the  only  members  of  the  family  who 
knew  anything  of  the  matter;  the  others 
never  so  much  as  suspected  that  their  bright, 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  165T, 

kind,  helpful,  sympathizing  sister  Milly  was 
burdened  with  a  secret  sorrow  or  care. 

Nor  did  she  make  a  confidante  of  Claudina 
Chetwood,  Lu  Grange  or  Effie  Prescott,  though 
on  intimate  terms  with  all  three. 

Effie's  health  had  improved  since  the  Keiths 
first  made  her  acquaintance,  but  she  was  still 
feeble  and  often  ailing.  She  was  a  girl  of  fine 
mind,  very  fond  of  reading,  and  very  thankful 
to  these  good  neighbors  for  their  kindness  in 
lending  her  books  and  periodicals.  And  she 
greatly  enjoyed  a  chat  with  Mrs.  Keith  or 
Mildred,  for  which  the  borrowing  and  return 
ing  afforded  frequent  occasion. 

She  came  in  one  morning  while  they  were 
hard  at  work  over  the  pile  of  spring  sewing. 

"  Good-morning,  ladies.  Don't  let  me  dis 
turb  you,"  she  said,  as  Zillah  dropped  her 
work  and  rose  hastily  to  hand  a  chair.  "  I  see 
you  are  very  busy,  and  I  came  to  ask  if  you 
would  let  me  help.  I  should  enjoy  spending 
the  morning  chatting  with  you  all,  and  might 
just  as  well  work  while  I  talk;  and  I  have 
brought  my  thimble,"  taking  it  from  her 
pocket  as  she  spoke. 

"  That  is  a  very  kind  offer,  Miss  Effie,  and 
we  will  be  glad  to  have  you.  Take  yon  easy- 
chair  and  chat  with  us  as  long  as  you 


166  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Mrs.  Keith  said,  with  her  pleasant  smile ;  "  but 
that,  I  think,  will  be  quite  sufficient  exertion 
after  your  walk." 

"  Yes,  indeed ;  you  must  get  quite  enough 
of  sewing  at  home,"  said  Zillah ;  "  it  takes  so 
many,  many  stitches  to  make  even  one  gar 
ment,  and  such  lots  of  garments  to  clothe  a 
family  at  all  respectably." 

"Yes,"  answered  Effie  in  a  sprightly  tone, 
"  but  I  am  fond  of  my  needle  and  can  use  it  a 
good  deal  without  injury.  Mildred,  I  see  you 
are  working  buttonholes — my  especial  pride 
and  delight.  Won't  you  hand  that  waist  to 
me,  and  find  something  else  to  occupy  your 
fingers  ?" 

"Do  you  like  to  make  them?"  asked  Mil 
dred  in  a  tone  of  genuine  surprise.  "  It  is  my 
perfect  detestation.  Therefore  I  find  myself 
sorely  tempted  to  accept  your  generous  offer." 

Before  Mildred's  sentence  was  completed 
the  work  had  exchanged  hands,  Effie  taking 
playfully  forcible  possession. 

"  My  dear  girl,  you  have  a  real  genius  for 
the  business!"  Mildred  exclaimed  presently. 
"  How  rapidly  and  nicely  you  work  them !  two 
done  in  less  time  than  I  should  take  for  one, 
without  doing  it  half  so  well." 

Effie's    eyes    sparkled.     "Generous   praise, 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  167 

Mildred,"  she  said;  "but  you  can  well  afford 
to  allow  me  the  credit  of  doing  one  little  thing 
better  than  you  do  it." 

"  I  dare  say  there  may  be  many  others  in 
which  you  excel  me." 

"No,  I  don't  believe  there's  any  other ;  and 
oh,  when  I  hear  you  play  the  piano  I  feel  as  if 
I'd  give  anything  in  the  world  if  I  could  play 
even  half  as  well." 

"  "Would  you  like  to  take  lessons  ?" 

"  Shouldn't  I !"  cried  Effie,  with  emphasis. 
"  But,  dear  me,  there's  no  use  thinking  of  it, 
as  I'm  not  likely  ever  to  have  the  chance." 

"  I'd  rather  give  a  music  lesson  any  day  than 
work  buttonholes,"  remarked  Mildred  laugh 
ingly  ;  "  and  oh,  the  quantities  of  them  to  be 
made  in  this  family !  Effie,  why  shouldn't  we 
exchange  work  occasionally? — an  hour  of  in 
struction  on  the  piano  for  an  hours  sewing? 
Don't  you  think  it  would  do,  mother  ?" 

"  Capitally,  if  you  are  mutually  satisfied." 

Effie's  face  was  sparkling  with  delight.  "  Oh, 
do  you  really  mean  it  ?"  she  cried.  "  Why,  I'd 
gladly  give  two  hours'  sewing  for  one  of  music 
lesson,  and  am  sure  it  would  be  worth  it." 

"  No,"  said  Mildred,  "  I  think  not,  consid 
ering  what  a  swift  and  neat  needlewoman  you 
are." 


168  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"Not  much  worldly  wisdom  in  either  of 
you,  I  think,  my  dear  girls,"  remarked  Mrs. 
Keith  with  an  amused  smile. 

"  But  there's  a  difficulty  I  had  not  thought 
of,"  said  Effie.  "  I  have  no  piano  to  practise 
on." 

"  You  shall  have  the  use  of  mine." 

"  Thank  you.  I  gladly  accept  your  kind  offer 
if  I  may  pay  for  that  also  with  mv  needle." 

Effie  spent  the  day  with  her  friends,  and 
before  leaving  had  come  to  an  arrangement 
with  Mildred  perfectly  satisfactory  to  both, 
and  taken  her  first  lesson. 

Just  at  its  close,  before  the  two  had  left  the 
piano,  Claudina  and  Lu  came  in,  and,  hearing 
what  Mildred  had  undertaken,  earnestly  begged 
that  she  would  add  them  to  her  class. 

"Father  is  very  anxious  for  me  to  learn," 
said  Claudina,  "  and  was  wondering,  the  other 
day,  if  it  would  do  to  ask  you  to  take  me  as  a 
scholar.  He  said  you  could  set  your  own 
price ;  he'd  willingly  pay  it ;  but  as  you  have 
no  need  to  make  money  for  yourself  he  was 
.afraid  to  propose  it.  Now,  Milly  dear,  would 
you  be  offended?  Of  course  we  should  feel 
that  you  were  doing  us  a  favor,  even  though 
you  let  us  pay  for  it." 

"No;  I  don't  feel  at  all  offended,"  Mildred 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  169 

said,  laughing  and  blushing,  "  and  I'd  be  glad 
to  do  anything  in  my  power  to  gratify  you, 
girls,  or  your  fathers;  but  I  really  haven't 
time." 

"  Then  I  suppose  we'll  have  to  give  it  up," 
remarked  Lu  with  a  sigh;  "but  I  do  wish 
this  town  could  afford  a  music  teacher,  for  I've 
set  my  heart  on  learning  to  play." 

When  spring  house-cleaning  and  sewing  are 
done  you  won't  be  so  very  busy,  Milly,"  sug 
gested  Claudina. 

"Yes,  very  nearly  if  not  quite  as  busy  as 
now,  for  then  I  take  up  my  governessing 
again." 

"  You're  the  best  sister  and  daughter  I  ever 
heard  of,"  was  Claudina's  comment. 

Tea  was  just  over,  and  Mrs.  Keith  stepped 
out  to  the  kitchen  for  a  consultation  with 
Celestia  Ann  on  the  all-important  subject  of 
the  morrow's  breakfast  and  dinner.  Ee turning 
to  the  sitting-room,  she  found  her  three  girls 
again  plying  their  needles. 

"  Come,  come,  my  dears,  no  more  work  to 
night,"  she  said.  "  You,  Zillah  and  Ada,  may 
help  me  set  everything  to  rights  here,  so  that 
we  can  go  on  promptly  in  the  morning ;  and 
Mildred,  child,  if  you  are  not  too  tired,  let 
your  father  have  some  music.  It  is  restful 


170  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

and  cheering  to  him  after  his  day's  work  and 
worry  at  the  office." 

"  I'm  never  too  tired  to  play  for  father  or 
mother,"  Mildred  said  with  a  smile  as  she  rose 
to  do  her  mother's  bidding. 

"  There !  don't  wait  to  fold  that ;  I'll  do  it," 
Zillah  said,  taking  the  work  from  her  hand. 
"And,  mother,  please  go  into  the  parlor  and 
rest  yourself  in  the  big  rocking-chair,  and  leave 
this  clearing  up  to  Ada  and  me." 

"Yes,  mother,  please  do,"  chimed  in  the 
younger  girl ;  "  we'd  a  great  deal  rather,  and 
you  know  we  can  just  as  well  as  not." 

"Thank  you,  dears;  then  I  will.  "What 
comforts  and  blessings  you  are  to  me !  all  three 
of  you." 

"Me  too,  mother? — me  and  Fan?"  asked 
little  Annis,  following  and  standing  beside  her 
mother's  chair  with  eager,  upturoed  face  and 
pleading  eyes. 

"Yes,  indeed,  darling!  Mother  wouldn't 
know  how  to  do  without  her  baby  girl  or  her 
dear  little  Fan,"  Mrs.  Keith  answered,  lifting 
the  one  into  her  lap  and  drawing  the  other 
close  to  her  side;  for  Fan,  too,  had  followed 
her  in  from  the  sitting-room. 

"  I'm  not  of  much  use  yet,  mother,  'cept  to 
love  you,"  she  said,  nestling  closer ;  "  but  I'm 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  171 

going  to  be  some  day,  if  I  live.  See !  I've 
hemmed  one  side  o'  this  handkerchief ;  and 
didn't  I  make  nice  bits  of  stitches  ?"  she  asked, 
holding  it  up  for  inspection. 

"Yes,  indeed,  darling,  I  can  see  that  you 
have  taken  great  pains.  Why,  I  think  after  a 
while  I  shall  have  no  need  to  sew  at  all,  with 
so  many  other  fingers  to  do  the  work.  Go  and 
enow  it  to  father." 

Fan  obeyed,  was  praised,  caressed  and  taken 
upon  her  father's  knee,  where  she  sat  in  quiet 
content  listening  to  Mildred's  music. 

Presently  Squire  Chetwood  was  ushered  in 
by  Celestia  Ann. 

"  Go  on,  Miss  Mildred,"  he  said  as  he  took 
the  seat  Mr.  Keith  hastened  to  offer ;  "  there's 
no  greater  treat  for  me  than  your  music ;  and 
my  errand  will  keep  for  a  bit." 

It  proved,  when  told,  one  that  rejoiced  them 
all.  It  was  to  show  to  Mr.  Keith  a  letter  of 
acceptance  from  a  gentleman  teacher  with 
whom  they  had  been  corresponding  with  a 
view  to  securing  his  services  as  principal  of  a 
school  which  they  were  trying  to  establish  in 
the  town.  It  was  to  be  for  both  sexes,  and 
the  gentleman's  wife  would  take  charge  of  the 
girls'  department. 

"  I  send  four  pupils — Zillah,  Ada,  Cyril,  and 


172  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Don,"  said  Mr.  Keith,  "thereby  considerably 
lightening  your  labors,  wife,  and  Mildred's,  I 
trust." 

The  squire  cleared  his  throat.  "  And  then, 
Miss  Mildred —  Ah !  I  hardly  dare  go  on  lest 
you  should  think  me  presuming=" 

"But  after  exciting  my  curiosity  you  can 
hardly  refuse  to  gratify  it,"  Mildred  returned 
playfully,  though  she  knew  very  well  what  was 
coming. 

Before  the  squire  went  away  she  had  con- 
sented  to  take  another  music  scholar,  and  the 
terms  he  offered  were  very  liberal,  she  having 
declined  to  name  a  price  for  her  services. 

"  Having  accepted  Claudina,  you  can  hardly 
refuse  Lu,"  her  mother  remarked  when  the 
squire  had  gone. 

"No,  mother;  and  how  little  time  I  shall 
have  left  for  helping  you!"  sighed  Mil 
dred. 

"  Now,  Milly,  don't  try  to  make  yourself  of 
so  much  importance !"  cried  Zillah  in  a  gayly 
bantering  tone.  "  Didn't  mother  do  without 
you  entirely  last  year?  One  would  suppose 
Ada  and  I  were  of  no  consequence  where  work 
is  concerned." 

"  But  you  will  be  in  school,  child !" 

"  Not  for  the  first  four  hours  after  we  leave 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  173 

our  beds  in  the  morning,  or  the  last  four  or 
five  before  we  return  to  them  at  night." 

"  Beside  an  hour  or  more  at  noon,"  added 
Ada ;  "  and  if  we  can't  do  something  to  help 
mother  in  all  that  time  we'll  deserve  to  be 
called  lazy  girls." 

"  We  shall  do  nicely,  I  am  sure,"  the  mother 
said,  with  a  pleased,  loving  glance  at  each  of 
the  three  faces  in  turn.  "  I  think  we  can  man 
age  so  that  everything  will  be  attended  to,  and 
no  one  of  us  overworked.  I  can  easily  hear 
Fan's  and  Annis's  little  lessons  every  day  while 
sewing.  Your  five  music  scholars,  Mildred, 
will  occupy  only  ten  hours  a  week  of  your 
time,  while  one  of  them  will  do  an  hour's 
sewing  for  you  every  day  and  the  other  two 
outsiders  bring  you  in  a  nice  little  sum  of 
pocket  money." 

"  Why,  it  doesn't  look  so  very  laborious  after 
all !"  Mildred  said,  brightening. 

"No,"  laughed  Zillah,  "you  could  take  half 
a  dozen  more  music  scholars  and  not  be  hurt." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

"  Wouldst  thou  from  sorrow  find  a  sweet  relief, 
Or  is  thy  heart  oppress'd  with  woes  untold? 
Balm  wouldst  thou  gather  for  corroding  grief, 
Pour  blessings  round  thee  like  a  shower  of  gold!" 

CARLOS  WILCOX. 

MILDRED'S  charity,  beginning  at  home,  did 
not  end  there :  very  earnestly  and  persistently 
she  strove  to  scatter  blessings  as  "  a  shower  of 
gold  "  wherever  she  went ;  to  make  every  life 
that  came  in  contact  with  hers,  at  ever  so  small 
a  point,  the  better  and  brighter  for  that  con 
tact,  though  it  were  by  but  a  cheery  word  or 
smile. 

Do  you  say  these  are  small  matters,  scarcely 
worthy  of  attention  ?  Ah !  to  each  of  us  comes 
the  divine  command,  "Be  pitiful,  be  cour 
teous  ;"  and  the  Master  said  of  the  tithing  of 
mint,  anise,  and  cummin,  while  the  weightier 
matters  of  the  law  were  neglected,  "These 
ought  ye  to  have  done,  and  not  to  leave  the 
other  undone."  "  He  that  is  faithful  in  that 
which  is  least,  is  faithful  also  in  much." 

It  was  so  with  Mildred ;  never  considering 
herself  off  duty  as  a  Christian  soldier,  she  was 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  175 

as  ready  to  feed  the  hungry,  clothe  the  naked, 
teach  the  ignorant,  and  nurse  the  sick,  as  to 
bestow  the  kind  word  and  pleasant  smile  that 
cost  her  nothing.  Nothing  ?  Ah !  there  were 
times  of  weariness  and  depression  when  even 
these  trifles  cost  a  heroic  effort — a  determined 
setting  aside  of  selfish  inclination  to  moodiness 
or  irritability,  or  indulgence  in  a  pleasing  mel 
ancholy,  because  one  great  earthly  blessing  was 
denied  her. 

In  this  her  bright,  cheerful  mother,  always 
ready  with  a  word  of  counsel  and  encourage 
ment,  was  a  wonderful  help.  Indeed,  by  fre 
quent  precept  and  constant  example  Mrs. 
Keith  succeeded  in  making  all  her  children,  to 
a  greater  or  less  degree,  sunny  tempered  and 
benevolent,  kind  and  courteous. 

The  Dorcas  society  connected  with  their 
church  had  no  more  active,  efficient,  or  liberal 
members  than  this  good  lady  and  her  eldest 
daughter ;  in  proportion  to  their  ability,  they 
gave  freely  of  time,  labor,  and  money.  They 
were,  indeed,  always  found  ready  to  every 
good  work,  though  they  trusted  not  in  their 
works  for  acceptance  in  the  sight  of  God,  but 
only  in  the  atoning  blood  and  imputed  right 
eousness  of  Christ.  "Followers  of  God  as 
dear  children,"  theirs  was  a  service  of  love  and 


176  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

joy,  rendered  not  that  they  might  be  saved, 
but  because  they  were  saved. 

Questions  of  doctrine  and  duty  were  freely 
discussed  in  the  family  circle,  the  children 
bringing  them  in  all  confidence  to  their  parents 
for  decision,  the  parents  always  appealing  to 
the  Scriptures  as  the  one  infallible  rule  of 
faith  and  practice — as  they  are  in  very  truth. 

"  To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony :  if  they 
speak  not  according  to  this  word,  it  is  because 
there  is  no  light  in  them."  "For  the  com 
mandment  is  a  lamp,  and  the  law  is  light." 

One  Sabbath  a  returned  missionary  preached 
in  the  morning  to  Mr.  Lord's  congregation,  in 
the  afternoon  addressed  the  assembled  Sunday- 
schools  of  the  town. 

The  Keiths  came  home  from  the  latter  ser 
vice  very  full  of  what  they  had  heard  of  the 
sad  condition  of  the  heathen  world,  the  need 
of  money  to  carry  on  the  work  of  evangelizing 
them,  and  the  self-denying  efforts  some  of 
God's  children,  both  old  and  young,  were  mak 
ing  to  earn  and  save  that  they  might  be  able 
to  give  to  this  good  cause. 

Cyril  had  been  especially  interested  in  the 
story  of  a  little  boy  who  had  raised  a  pig,  sold 
it,  and  given  to  missions  the  whole  of  what  he 
received  for  it. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  177 

"I  mean  to  have  a  missionary  pig,"  Cyril 
said  to  Don  as  they  walked  home  together. 
"  I'll  take  good  care  of  it  and  feed  it  well,  so 
it  will  be  very  fat,  so  that  I  can  get  ten  dol 
lars  for  it ;  and  every  cent  of  it  shall  go  to  the 
missionaries.  And  I'll  make  more  besides 
for  them  out  of  my  garden  and  my  chick 
ens." 

"So  will  I,"  said  Don;  "but  I  shan't  let 
'em  have  all  the  money." 

"  How  much,  then  ?" 

"  I  don't  know  yet." 

"  I'm  afraid  it  won't  do  for  all  of  us  to  have 
pigs,"  said  Ada,  overhearing  the  talk  of  her 
little  brothers. 

"  No,"  laughed  Zillah ;  "  we'd  overstock  the 
market  and  bring  down  the  price." 

"  I  don't  see  what  I  can  do  then,  except  give 
some  of  my  pocket-money  ;  unless  mother  will 
pay  me  for  doing  without  butter  and  tea  and 
sugar,  as  some  of  the  children  do  that  the  mis 
sionary  told  about." 

"  That's  too  hard  a  way,"  said  Cyril ;  "  you 
won't  catch  me  trying  that :  I'll  work  for  the 
heathen,  but  I  won't  starve  for  'em." 

"  It  would  be  hard ;  but  we  ought  to  deny 
ourselves,"  Ada  returned  half  regretfully. 

"  Yes,  in  some  things,"  Zillah  said :  "  I  don't 


178  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

feel  sure  about  this.  "We'll  ask  father  and 
mother." 

They  did  so  immediately  on  entering  the 
house. 

"  Your  mother  and  1  have  just  been  discuss 
ing  that  question,"  Mr.  Keith  said,  "and  we 
think  that  as  good,  nourishing  food  is  neces 
sary  to  your  health  and  growth,  it  is  not  a  duty 
for  you  to  deny  yourselves  such  common  com 
forts  as  butter  and  sugar.  There  are  other  and 
better  ways  in  which  to  practise  self-denial." 

"  How,  father  2"  asked  Ada. 

"  It  might  be  by  denying  our  love  of  ease — 
working  and  earning  for  the  good  of  others, 
when  we  would  rather  be  at  play ;  the  Bible 
speaks  of  laboring,  working  with  our  hands 
that  we  may  have  to  give  to  him  that  need- 
«th." 

"  And  who  more  needy  than  the  poor,  be- 
mghted  heathen  !"  sighed  Mrs.  Keith. 

"  It  won't  hurt  us  to  deny  ourselves  in  the 
matter  of  finery,"  remarked  Mildred. 

"  Or  eating  more  than  enough  to  satisfy  our 
appetites,  just  because  it  tastes  good,"  added 
Rupert. 

"  No,  that  is  sinful  in  itself,  because  injuri 
ous  to  health,"  said  his  father. 

"But  haven't  we  a  right  to  eat  what  we 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  179 

please,  and  just  as  much  as  we  choose,  if  we 
would  rather  be  sick  than  do  without  the  good 
things,  father?"  asked  Cyril. 

"  No,  my  son  ;  health  is  one  of  God's  good 
gifts,  which  we  have  no  right  to  throw  away. 
We  can't  serve  him  with  a  sick  and  suffering 
body  so  well  as  with  a  strong,  healthy  one. 
And  we  are  told  in  Proverbs,  '  The  drunkard 
and  the  glutton  shall  come  to  poverty.' " 

"  Father,  does  God  want  us  to  give  all  our 
money  away  to  other  folks  1"  asked  Don. 

"  No,  son,  not  all ;  our  heavenly  Father  in 
tends  us  to  use  some  of  it  to  supply  our  own 
needs." 

"  "What  proportion  ought  we  to  give,  father  ?" 
asked  Rupert. 

"  I  think  that  depends  upon  how  large  our 
means  are." 

"  Is  not  a  tenth  the  Bible  rule  ?"  asked  Mrs. 
Keith. 

"  Tes ;  God  claims  a  tenth  as  his.  It  seems- 
plain  that  every  one  should  give  that,  or  more 
properly  pay  it  to  the  Lord;  and  those  who 
are  able  to  do  more,  add  offerings  in  proportion 
to  their  ability.  So  I  gather  from  this  text  in 
Malachi,  third  chapter  and  eighth  verse ;"  and 
opening  a  Bible,  Mr.  Keith  read  aloud  :  " '  Will 
a  man  rob  God  ?  Yet  ye  have  robbed  me. 


180  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

But  ye  say,  "Wherein  have  we  robbed  thee? 
In  tithes  and  offerings.' " 

"  I  thought  that  was  the  rule  under  the  Le- 
vitical  law,  and  that  the  New  Testament  rule 
was,  '  Give  as  God  has  prospered  you,' "  said 
Rupert. 

"  Yes,  we  are  to  give  as  God  has  prospered 
us — one  dollar  out  of  every  ten,  one  hundred 
out  of  every  thousand,  and  so  on.  The  begin 
ning  of  tithe-paying  was  not  in  the  time  of 
Moses,  but  hundreds  of  years  before ;  for  we 
read  that  Abraham  paid  tithes,  and  that  Jacob 
promised  to  the  Lord  the  tenth  of  all  that  he 
should  give  him.  "We  nowhere  read  that  Jesus 
•abrogated  this  law ;  indeed  he  said,  '  Think 
not  that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law  or  the 
prophets;  I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but  to 
fulfil ; '  of  the  tithing  of  '  mint  and  rue  and  all 
manner  of  herbs,'  that  it  ought  not  to  be  left 
undone.  And  God  promises  blessings,  both 
temporal  and  spiritual,  to  those  who  faithfully 
•obey  this  law  of  the  tithes.  '  Bring  ye  all  the 
tithes  into  the  storehouse,  that  there  may  be 
meat  in  mine  house  ;  and  prove  me  now  here 
with,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  if  I  will  not  open 
you  the  windows  of  heaven,  and  pour  you  out 
a  blessing,  that  there  shall  not  be  room  enough 
to  receive  it.  And  I  will  rebuke  the  devourer 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  181 

for  your  sakes,  and  he  shall  not  destroy  the 
fruits  of  your  ground ;  neither  shall  your  vine 
cast  her  fruit  before  the  time  in  the  field,  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts.' 

"  l  Honor  the  Lord  with  thy  substance  and 
with  the  first-fruits  of  all  thine  increase :  so 
shall  thy  barns  be  filled  with  plenty,  and  thy 
presses  shall  burst  out  with  new  wine.' 

"  '  Trust  in  the  Lord,  and  do  good ;  so  shalt 
thou  dwell  in  the  land,  and  verily  thou  shalt 
be  fed.' 

"  '  There  is  that  scattereth,  and  yet  increas- 
eth ;  and  there  is  that  withholdeth  more  thaa 
is  meet,  but  it  tendeth  to  poverty.' 

"  '  He  that  hath  pity  upon  the  poor,  lendeth 
unto  the  Lord ;  and  that  which  he  hath  given 
will  he  pay  him  again.' 

"  '  These  are  not  all  the  texts  bearing  on  the 
subject,  but  will  suffice  for  the  present." 

"  Father,"  said  Don,  "  God  doesn't  need  our 
money,  does  he  ?  "Why  does  he  tell  us  to  give 
it  to  him  ?" 

"For  our  own  good,  my  son.  Don't  you 
remember  Jesus  said,  'It  is  more  blessed  to 
give  than  to  receive '  ?  He  cannot  be  happy 
who  indulges  a  mean,  sordid  disposition ;  the 
less  selfish  we  are,  the  more  ready  to  help 
others  and  share  our  good  things  with  them. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

the  happier  and  the  more  like  our  heavenly 
Father  we  shall  be.  Try  it,  my  boy,  and  yon 
will  find  it  is  so.  And  the  more  constantly 
we  practise  giving,  the  more  we  shall  be  in 
love  with  it." 

"And  then  shall  our  gifts  be  pleasing  to 
God,"  added  the  mother.  "  '  Every  man  ac 
cording  as  he  purposeth  in  his  heart,  so  let 
him  live ;  not  grudgingly,  or  of  necessity :  for 
God  loveth  a  cheerful  giver.  And  God  is  able 
to  make  all  grace  abound  toward  you ;  that  ye, 
always  having  all  sufficiency  in  all  things,  may 
abound  to  every  good  work.' ': 

"  "Well,  it  seems,  if  we  obey  the  Bible  rule, 
we  will  give  a  tenth  of  our  pocket-money,  and 
of  all  we  can  make  beside,"  remarked  Rupert. 

"  And  I  am  very  glad  I  can  earn  something 
by  teaching  music,"  said  Mildred. 

"I  think  you  can  each  find  some  way  of 
earning  something  for  this  good  purpose,"  the 
mother  said,  glancing  smilingly  around  the 
little  group. 

Cyril  told  eagerly  of  his  plan.  Don  adding 
that  he  meant  to  have  a  missionary  pig  too, 
but  not  to  give  all  that  he  made  on  it. 

"  You  must  decide  for  yourself  whether  to 
give  more  than  a  tenth  of  its  price,"  his  father 
said ;  "  but  I  think  '  missionary  pig '  will  hardly 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  183 

be  an  appropriate  name  unless  it  is  entirely 
devoted  to  the  cause." 

"Mother,"  said  Fan,  "wouldn't  it  be  nice 
for  me  to  call  one  of  my  hens  a  missionary 
hen,  and  give  all  the  money  I  get  for  her  and 
her  eggs  to  the  heathen  ?" 

"Yes,  dear,  I  think  it  would  be  very  nice," 
Mrs.  Keith  answered,  with  a  loving  glance  into 
the  earnest  little  face." 

"  Then  I'll  do  it,  and  I  hope  she'll  lay  an 
egg  every  day." 

"  And  I'll  have  a  missionary  hen !"  cried 
little  Annis,  clapping  her  hands  with  delight 
at  the  idea  of  contributing  her  mite  to  the 
good  cause. 

"  Ada  and  I  haven't  matured  our  plans  yet," 
said  Zillah,  "but  we'll  be  sure  to  find  some 
way  to  make  money,  as  well  as  the  rest  of  you." 

"  Mother  will  help  us  to  contrive  it ;  won't 
you,  mother  ?"  Ada  said,  with  a  look  of  con 
fiding  affection. 

The  answer  was  a  prompt,  emphatic  "  Yes> 
indeed,  my  dear." 

But  Mr.  Keith  seemed  to  have  something 
further  to  say,  and  all  turned  to  listen. 

"We  want  to  give  the  missionary  some 
money  to-day  or  to-morrow  to  carry  away  with 
him.  Who  has  any  ready  now  ?" 


184  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Cyril's  countenance  fell.  He  was  a  great 
spendthrift,  and  money  slipped  through  his 
fingers  almost  as  soon  as  it  came  into  his  pos 
session. 

"My  pocket-money's  all  gone,"  he  sighed, 
half  aloud,  half  to  himself  ;  then  nudging  his 
younger  brother,  "  Don,  you  always  have  some : 
won't  you  lend  me  a  little  ?" 

"  No,"  said  Mr.  Keith,  "  you  are  not  to  go 
into  debt,  even  from  a  good  motive.  After 
this,  set  aside  the  Lord's  tenth  of  all  your 
money  as  soon  as  it  comes  into  your  hands, 
and  use  that  portion  scrupulously  for  him  in 
giving  to  the  church  and  the  poor.  And,  my 
son,  I  want  you  to  form  the  habit  of  laying  by 
a  little  for  your  own  future  needs.  You  will 
be  a  poor  man  if  you  spend  all  your  money  as 
fast  as  you  get  it." 

"  I  don't,"  remarked  Don  complacently ;  "  I 
save  'most  all  I  get." 

"  Ah,  yes,  my  boy,  I  know  that,  and  often 
feel  troubled  about  my  youngest  son  lest  he 
should  become  a  hard,  grasping,  miserly  man, 
loving  and  hoarding  money  for  its  own  sake. 
Do  you  know  that  that  is  as  truly  idolatry  as 
the  bowing  down  of  the  heathen  to  images  of 
wood  and  stone  ?" 

"  Is  it,  father  ?"  murmured  the  little  lad,  his 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  185 

face  crimsoning,  and  the  tears  starting  to  his 
eyes. 

"  It  is  indeed,  Don ;  and  so  a  worse  fault 
than  Cyril's  foolish  spending,  bad  as  that  is. 
The  Bible  bids  us  mortify  'covetousness, 
which  is  idolatry.' " 

•"  Try,  both  of  you,  to  save  in  order  '  to  have 
to  give  to  him  that  needeth,'  and  to  *  provide 
things  honest  in  the  sight  of  all  men.'  "We 
must  first  pay  to  the  Lord  his  tenth,  then  to 
our  fellow-men  what  we  honestly  owe  them ; 
after  that  give  to  the  needy  what  we  feel  able 
to  spare  from  our  store.  Not  pull  down  our 
barns  and  build  greater,  there  to  bestow  our 
surplus  goods,  while  we  take  our  ease,  eat, 
drink,  and  be  merry,  and  neglect  to  relieve 
the  distress  and  suffering  of  the  poor  and 
needy." 

"  Like  the  rich  man  in  the  Bible,"  said  Fan. 
"  Father,  was  he  a  very  bad  man  ?" 

"  Probably  not  what  the  world  calls  bad ; 
we  are  not  told  that  he  was  dishonest,  drunken, 
or  profane ;  but  he  was  selfish  and  covetous — 
caring  for  the  good  things  of  this  world  and 
neglectful  of  eternal  things ;  and  selfishness  is 
sin  as  well  as  covetousness.  They  seem  to  go 
together  and  shut  the  soul  out  of  heaven.  The 
Bible  says,  'Nor  thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor 


186  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

drunkards,  nor  revilers,  nor  extortioners  shall 
inherit  the  kingdom  of  God." 

"I  thought  coveting  was  wanting  other 
people's  things,"  remarked  Ada. 

"  That  is  coveting,"  replied  her  father,  "  and 
so  is  that  inordinate  love  of  gain,  which  leads 
men  to  drive  hard  bargains,  and  to  heap  up 
riches  at  the  expense  of  leaving  those  to  suffer 
whom  they  are  fully  able  to  relieve.  When 
the  Lord  gives  us  large  means,  it  is  that,  as  his 
stewards,  we  may  distribute  to  others.  Well, 
Rupert,  what  is  it  ?" 

"I  have  the  money  I  had  saved  toward 
buying  a  piano.  I  will  give  a  tenth  of  it 
now." 

"  That  is  well.  Who  else  has  anything  for 
the  missionary  ?" 

"  I  have  a  little  of  the  pocket-money  Aunt 
Wealthy  supplies,"  Mildred  said.  "  I  wish  I 
could  give  more  now.  I  hope  to  when  the 
money  comes  in  from  my  music  scholars ;  but 
that  will  not  be  for  some  time,  you  know." 

"  I  haven't  much  money,"  said  Fan,  "  but 
maybe  I  can  sell  my  eggs.  I  have  a  whole 
dozen." 

"  I'll  give  some  of  my  money,"  said  Don. 

"  And  I,"  "And  I,"  said  Zillah  and  Ada. 

Mrs.  Keith  also  promised  something,  and 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  187 

Mr.  Keith  added  that  he,  too,  would  give,  and 
they  would  collect  it  all  and  hand  it  to  the 
missionary  before  his  departure,  which  was  to 
be  the  next  afternoon. 

"  Father,  is  it  right  to  pray  for  earthly  pros 
perity  ?"  asked  Rupert. 

"  That  depends  very  much  upon  the  motive. 
The  apostle  James  says,  *  Ye  have  not,  because 
ye  ask  not.  Ye  ask,  and  receive  not,  because 
ye  ask  amiss,  that  ye  may  consume  it  upon 
your  lusts.'  It  is  not  the  asking  he  condemns 
(he  seems,  indeed,  to  reprove  them  for  not  ask 
ing),  but  the  wrong  motive  for  so  doing.  Let 
us  compare  Scripture  with  Scripture.  The 
Psalmist  tells  us,  '  Except  the  Lord  build  the 
house,  they  labor  in  vain  that  build  it :  except 
the  Lord  keep  the  city,  the  watchman  waketh 
but  in  vain.  It  is  vain  for  you  to  rise  up 
early,  to  sit  up  late,  to  eat  the  bread  of  sor 
rows  ;  for  so  he  giveth  his  beloved  sleep.' 

"  In  Deuteronomy  we  are  told,  '  Thou  shalt 
remember  the  Lord  thy  God,  for  it  is  he  that 
giveth  thee  power  to  get  wealth.'  Evidently 
we  cannot  attain  to  worldly  prosperity  except 
by  God's  help — his  blessing  on  our  efforts. 
We  may  work  for  prosperity,  and  we  may 
pray  for  it,  from  either  a  right  or  a  wrong 
motive,  and  certainly  in  either  case  we  are 


188  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

approved  or  the  contrary  according  to  thcj 
motive  that  actuates  us.  'Man  looketh  on 
the  outward  appearance,  but  the  Lord  looketh 
on  the  heart.' 5: 

"  What  would  be  a  right  motive,  father  ?" 
asked  Ada  in  her  grave,  earnest  way. 

"  The  desire  to  have  the  ability  to  '  provide 
things  honest  in  the  sight  of  all  men,'  to  help 
on  the  Lord's  cause — the  work  of  the  church — 
and  to  give  to  the  poor  and  needy.  Many  de 
sire  wealth  for  their  own  ease  and  indulgence, 
for  the  consequence  it  gives  them  in  the  eyes 
of  their  fellow-men,  or  as  a  means  of  gaining 
power  over  them.  It  cannot  be  right  to  pray 
for  it  from  such  motives — that  is  the  sort  of 
asking  the  apostle  condemns." 

Mrs.  Keith  was  turning  over  the  leaves  of 
the  Bible.  "  Let  the  Lord  be  magnified,  who 
hath  pleasure  in  the  prosperity  of  his  serv 
ants,"  she  read  aloud.  "  What  the  Lord  takes 
pleasure  in,  and  what  he  promises  upon  condi 
tions,  it  cannot  be  wrong  to  ask  for,  unless 
from  a  wrong  motive,"  she  remarked.  "  And 
it  is  clear  to  my  mind  that  if  it  be  wrong  to 
pray  for  prosperity,  it  is  also  wrong  to  work 
for  it ;  certainly  a  Christian  should  never  en 
gage  in  anything  upon  which  he  cannot  ask 
God's  blessing.  But  we  are  commanded  to  be 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  189 

*  diligent  in  business,'  and  told  that  c  the  hand 
of  the  diligent  maketh  rich.' " 

"  Yes,"  said  her  husband,  " '  Not  slothful  in 
business,  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord.' 
If  we  are  careful  not  to  divorce  these  two 
which  God  hath  joined  together,  we  need  not 
fear  to  ask  his  blessing  on  our  labors." 


CHAPTER  XV. 

"The  whining  schoolboy  with  his  satchel 
.And  shining  morning  face,  creeping  like  a  snail 
Unwillingly  to  school." 

SHAKSPEARB. 

THE  new  school  had  opened  the  previous 
week,  and  was  now  in  successful  operation. 
Zillah  and  Ada  were  pursuing  their  studies 
with  redoubled  zeal  and  interest,  finding  a 
constant  spur  in  the  desire  to  keep  pace  with, 
if  not  outstrip,  the  other  members  of  their 
classes. 

Mildred  was  often  applied  to  for  help  in  the 
home  preparation  of  their  lessons,  and  her  as 
sistance,  always  cheerfully  and  kindly  given, 
received  with  due  appreciation. 

"  With  such  good  help  at  home,"  they  would 
say,  "  we  ought  to  do  better  than  any  of  the 
other  girls  ;  for  there  isn't  one  of  them  who  has 
a  sister  so  capable  of  explaining  whatever  in 
their  lessons  they  find  difficult  to  understand, 
or  so  willing  to  do  it." 

"  I  am  only  returning  to  you  what  mother 
has  done  for  me  in  past  days,"  Mildred  an- 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  191 

swered  more  than  once ;  "  and  if  I  did  not  do 
it  she  would." 

"  Yes,"  was  the  rejoinder,  "  there  isn't  such 
another  mother  in  the  town,  or  anywhere  else, 
for  that  matter." 

The  little  boys,  accustomed  to  passing  most 
of  the  day  in  the  open  air,  after  conning  their 
tasks  on  the  porch  or  in  the  shade  of  the  trees, 
found  the  confinement  of  the  schoolroom  very 
irksome. 

Mother  and  Mildred  were  frequently  ap 
pealed  to  for  sympathy  in  their  trial ;  and  the 
demand  was  always  sure  to  be  met  with  bright, 
hopeful,  cheery  words  of  encouragement  to  pa 
tience  and  diligence.  "  They  must  be  willing 
to  bear  with  a  little  discomfort  in  the  pursuit 
of  the  knowledge  which  was  so  important  to 
their  future  success  in  life — must  try  to  learn 
all  they  could,  that  they  might  grow  up  to  be 
wise,  useful  men,  capable  of  doing  God  ser 
vice,  and  of  helping  themselves  and  others." 

Hitherto  the  little  fellows  had  been  kept  out 
•of  the  streets  and  carefully  shielded  from  the 
snares  and  temptations  of  association  with  the 
evil-disposed  and  wicked.  The  time  for  a  trial 
of  the  strength  of  their  principles  had  now 
come,  and  parents  and  elder  sister  looked  on. 
with  deep  anxiety  for  the  result. 


192  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

The  perfect  openness  engendered  in  them 
by  never-failing  sympathy  in  all  their  little 
childish  joys  and  sorrows,  plans  and  purposes^ 
now  proved  a  wonderful  safeguard.  Why 
should  they  want  to  hide  anything  from  those 
whose  interest  in  and  love  for  them  was  made 
so  apparent  ?  They  did  not ;  and  so  many  a 
wrong  step  was  avoided  or  speedily  retrieved. 

In  that  first  week  of  school  Cyril  had  got 
himself  into  disgrace  with  his  teacher  by  a 
liberal  distribution  among  his  mates  of  ginger- 
bread  and  candy,  for  which  he  had  spent  hia 
whole  store  of  pocket-money. 

The  good  things  were  carried  into  the  school 
room,  the  master's  attention  drawn  to  them  by 
the  constant  munching  and  crunching  among 
the  boys. 

A  search  was  promptly  instituted,  the  re 
mainder  of  the  feast  confiscated,  and  an  expla 
nation  called  for. 

"  "Who  brought  these  things  here  ?"  was  the 
stern  demand. 

"  I,  sir ;  I  brought  them  and  gave  them  to 
the  fellows,  and  so  am  more  to  blame  than  any 
body  else,"  Cyril  said,  rising  in  his  seat  and 
speaking  out  with  manly  courage  and  honesty, 
though  his  cheeks  were  in  a  blaze  and  hi& 
.heart  beat  fast. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  193 

"  Then,  sir,  you  shall  be  punished  with  the 
loss  of  your  recess  and  being  kept  in  for  an 
hour  after  school,"  was  the  stern  rejoinder. 
"I  will  have  no  such  doings  here." 

There  was  not  a  word  of  commendation  of 
the  boy's  moral  courage  and  readiness  to  confess 
his  fault ;  and  he  had  to  endure  not  only  the 
loss  of  his  play -time,  but  also  was  severely  lec 
tured  and  threatened  with  a  flogging  if  "ever 
the  offence  should  be  repeated. 

He  went  home  very  angry  and  indignant, 
and  his  mother  being  out,  carried  his  griev 
ance  to  Mildred.  He  poured  out  the  whole 
story  without  reserve,  finishing  with  "  "Wasn't 
it  the  greatest  shame  for  him  to  punish  me 
twice  for  the  same  thing?  I'm  sure  the 
loss  of  my  recess  was  quite  enough,  'specially 
considering  that  I  owned  up  the  minute  he 
asked  about  it.  And  then  the  idea  of  threaten 
ing  to  flog  me !  Why,  I  haven't  had  a  whip 
ping  since  I  was  a  little  bit  of  a  fellow,  and  I'd 
think  it  an  awful  disgrace  to  get  one  now  I'm 
so  big ;  'specially  at  school ;  and  I  say  nobody 
but  father  or  mother  has  a  right  to  touch  me. 
And  nobody  shall ;  I'll  just  knock  old  Peacock 
down  if  he  dares  to  try  it ;  that  I  will  1" 

"  O  Cyril,  Cyril,  you  should  not  be  so  disre 
spectful  toward  the  teacher  father  has  set  over, 


194  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

you !"  Mildred  said,  striving  to  speak  quietly 
though  between  indignation  at  the  severity 
md  injustice  of  the  treatment  the  child  had 
received,  and  the  mirth-provoking  idea  of  his 
imagining  himself  able  to  cope  with  a  man, 
she  found  it  no  easy  matter.  "  I'm  really  sor 
ry  you  have  wasted  your  money  and  broken 
the  rules." 

"  No,  I  didn't !"  the  boy  burst  out  hotly  ; 
"  he'd  never  made  any  rule  about  it ;  though 
he  has  now,  and  says  I  ought  to  have  known 
and  must  have  known  that  such  things  couldn't 
be  allowed." 

"  Well,  that  seems  rather  unreasonable ;  but 
I  suppose  you  might  if  you  had  stopped  to 
think.  You  know,  Cyril  dear,  how  often 
father  and  mother  have  urged  you  to  try  to 
be  more  thoughtful." 

"  Yes,  but  it  seems  as  if  I  can't,  Milly. 
How's  a  fellow  to  help  being  thoughtless  and 
careless  when  it  comes  so  natural  ?" 

"  Our  wicked  natures  are  what  we  have  to 
strive  against,  you  know ;  and  God  will  help 
us  if  we  ask  him,"  she  answered,  speaking  that 
holy  name  in  low,  reverent  tones. 

Don,  who  had  waited  about  the  school-house 
door  for  Cyril,  and  walked  home  by  his  side, 
was  standing  by  listening  to  the  talk.  "  O 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE  ]95 

Milly !  we  don't  like  that  school !"  he  said, 
with  a  look  of  weariness  and  disgust ;  "  It's  so 
hard  to  have  to  be  shut  up  there,  and  obliged 
to  sit  still  most  all  day  long.  "Won't  you  ask 
father  to  let  us  stay  at  home  and  say  lessons  to 
you  again  ?" 

"  Oh  yes,  Milly,  do !"  Cyril  joined  in.  "  Fan's 
ever  so  lonesome  without  us,  and  we'll  be  as 
good  as  we  know  how ;  study  hard,  and  not 
give  you  a  bit  of  trouble." 

Mildred  explained  that  the  arrangements 
had  been  made  for  the  summer,  and  could  not 
now  be  altered. 

"  And  surely,"  she  concluded,  with  an  en 
couraging  smile,  "  my  two  little  brothers  are 
not  such  cowards  as  to  be  conquered  by  little 
difficulties  and  discomforts.  Don't  you  know 
•we  have  to  meet  such  things  all  the  way  through 
life  ?  and  the  best  way  is  to  meet  them  with  a 
cheerful  courage  and  determination  to  press 
on  notwithstanding.  '  The  slothful  man  saith 
there  is  a  lion  in  the  way.'  '  The  way  of  the 
slothful  man  is  as  an  hedge  of  thorns.'  Don't 
be  like  him.'  " 

"  Does  that  mean  that  folks  are  lazy  when 
they  give  up  because  things  are  hard  2" 

"  Yes,  Don ;  and  if  we  are  so  ready  to  do 
that,  we  are  not  likely  to  get  to  heaven ;  be- 


196  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

cause  that  is  no  easy  matter — with  our  sinful 
hearts,  a  wicked  world,  and  Satan  and  all  his 
hosts  to  fight  against.  We  have  to  '  fight  the 
good  fight  of  faith ' — to  '  lay  hold  on  eternal 
life ' — to  '  press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize 
of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus ' — 
to  '  run  with  patience  the  race  that  is  set  before 
us.'  "Jesus  said  'The  kingdom  of  heaven 
suffereth  violence,  and  the  violent  take  it  by 
force/" 

"  Milly.  what  does  that  mean  ?" 

"  That  to  get  to  heaven  it  is  necessary  to 
strive  very,  very  earnestly  and  determinate- 

ly." 

"  Milly,  how  can  Don  and  I  fight  that  fight  ?" 
asked  Cyril.  «  Do  tell  us." 

"Just  as  grown  people  must — by  loving  and 
trusting  Jesus,  and  striving  earnestly  every 
day  and  hour  to  serve  God  in  doing  faithfully 
the  duty  that  comes  nearest  to  hand.  And 
don't  you  see  that  the  principal  part  of  yours 
at  present  is  to  be  good,  faithful  workers  at 
school,  and  obedient  to  your  teacher,  because 
father  has  given  him  authority  over  you  when 
you  are  at  school  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  'spose  so,"  sighed  Don.  "  But  O 
Milly,  I  did  want  to  run  away  this  afternoon 
and  take  a  nice  walk,  'stead  of  going  to  school. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  197 

It's  so  nice  down  by  the  river  and  in  the  woods 
'mong  the  birds  and  flowers." 

"  Yes,  I  know  it  is,  Don ;  but  it  would  have 
been  very  wrong  to  go  without  leave ;  and  I 
can't  tell  you  how  glad  I  am  that  you  resisted 
the  temptation." 

Now  that  money  was  wanted  for  the  mis 
sionary,  Cyril  was  sorry  for  having  spent  his 
so  foolishly. 

"  I  was  very  bad  to  waste  it  in  that  way,"  he 
said  regretfully;  "  it  was  all  because  I  didn't 
think  ;  but  I  mean  to  think  after  this,  and  try 
to  make  the  best  use  of  all  the  money  I  get." 

The  new  school  was  nearly  as  great  an  af 
fliction  to  Fan  as  to  the  little  boys ;  she  was 
so  lonely  without  Cyril  and  Don — hitherto  her 
inseparable  companions  and  playmates ;  and 
now  it  depended  upon  her  to  run  errands  for 
her  mother  and  sister  when  they  were  in  too 
great  haste  to  wait  the  boys'  leisure ;  and  Fan, 
being  extremely  timid  and  bashful,  found  this 
no  small  trial. 

It  was  Monday  morning ;  the  scholars  were 
trooping  into  the  schoolhouse — the  Keiths 
among  the  rest. 

At  home  Mildred  was  in  the  parlor  giving  a 
music  lesson ;  Fan  in  the  sitting  room  waiting 
for  mother  to  come  and  hear  her  read  and  spell* 


198  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Mrs.  Keith  came  in  and  sat  down  at  her 
writing  desk. 

"  Fan,  darling,  mother  wants  you  to  do  an 
errand  for  her,"  she  said,  taking  up  her  pen. 

"  What,  mother  ?"  the  child  asked  half  plain 
tively. 

"  To  carry  a  note  for  me  to  Mrs.  Clark.  I 
want  you  to  take  it  there  immediately,  and  tell 
her  you  will  wait  for  an  answer.  And  then, 
as  you  come  back,  call  at  Chetwood  &  Mock 
er's  and  ask  for  a  yard  of  calico  like  the  piece 
I  shall  give  you,  and  also  how  they  are  selling 
eggs  to-day  by  the  dozen.  Then  I  will  buy 
your  dozen  of  you,  and  you  will  have  the  money 
for  the  missionary." 

"  Oh  mother,"  sighed  the  little  girl,  "  I  don't 
like  to  go  to  the  store  all  alone,  or  to  Mrs. 
Clark's  either.  I  don't  know  her." 

"  I  am  sorry  my  dear  little  girl  is  so  bashful, 
but  that  is  something  that  must  be  overcome, 
and  cannot  be  except  by  refusing  to  indulge 
it.  Tou  may  take  Annis  with  you,  though,  if 
you  choose." 

"  Thank  you,  mother ;  but  Annis  is  so  little 
that  I'll  have  to  do  all  the  talking  just  the 
same." 

"  "Well,  dear,  you  can  talk  quite  prettily,  if 
you  only  forget  to  think?  about  yourself.  Try 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  199 

to  forget  little  Fan  Keith,  and  think  of  the 
messages  she  has  to  deliver,  the  questions  she 
must  ask,  and  you  will  find  there  is  no  trouble 
at  all." 

"  O  mother !  please  let  somebody  else  go." 

Fan  had  put  down  her  book,  gone  to  her 
mother's  side,  and  was  standing  there  looking 
pleadingly  into  her  face. 

Mrs.  Keith  bent  down  as  she  folded  her  note 
and  pressed  a  loving  kiss  on  the  white  fore 
head. 

"  My  little  girl  will  go  to  please  mother  and 
the  dear  Lord  Jesus.  There  is  no  one  else  to 
go  now,  and  the  errands  cannot  wait  for  the 
boys  to  come  home  from  school." 

"  Will  it  please  Jesus,  mother  ?" 

"  Yes,  dear,  because  he  bids  you  honor  and 
obey  your  mother,  and  also  to  deny  yourself 
when  duty  calls.  You  know  one  part  of  the 
errand  at  the  store  is  to  help  you  to  the  money 
for  the  poor  heathen." 

"Mother,  I'd  rather  do  'most  anything  else 
for  them;  but  I'll  go  to  please  you  and  the 
Lord  Jesus.  And  I  want  Annis  to  go  too. 
Will  you,  Annis?" 

"  I  guess  I  will!  I'd  like  to,"  the  little  one 
answered  joyously. 

It  was  a  busy  morning  with  Mrs.  Keith,  and 


200  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

getting  Annis  ready  for  the  walk  involved 
eome  small  loss  of  time;  but  she  considered 
the  pleasure  she  would  thus  give  her  little  ones 
well  worth  the  sacrifice. 

"Now,  Fan,"  she  said,  when  the  children 
were  about  to  start,  and  she  had  put  the  note 
and  sample  of  calico  into  the  little  girl's  hands, 
with  a  repetition  of  her  commissions,  "  remem 
ber  that  you  are  the  errand  girl  and  have  all 
the  responsibility,  because  Annis  is  too  little ; 
but  you  are  mother's  big,  useful  girl.  I  know 
you  are  glad  to  be  a  help  and  comfort  to 
mother." 

The  tender,  loving  words  infused  courage 
into  the  timid  little  heart  for  the  moment, 
and  the  two  set  off  with  bright  faces;  but 
Fan's  clouded  again,  and  her  heart  beat  fast  as 
she  neared  Mrs.  Clark's  door. 

Had  it  not  been  open  her  timid  little  rap 
would  hardly  have  been  heard ;  and  her  mes 
sage,  delivered  with  the  note,  was  given  in 
tones  so  low  that  the  lady  had  to  ask  her  to 
repeat  it,  while  she  bent  her  ear  to  catch  the 
words. 

At  the  store  it  was  even  worse.  Not  yet 
recovered  from  the  embarrassment  of  her  call 
upon  Mrs.  Clark,  Fan  stumbled  and  stam 
mered,  said  she  wanted  a  dozen  calicoes  for 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

her  mother,  and  to  know  how  they  Bold  eggs 
by  the  yard. 

Then  catching  the  mirthful  gleam  in  Will 
Chetwood's  eyes  and  seeing  the  corners  of  his 
lips  twitching,  she  hastily  drew  back  as  far  as 
possible  into  the  shelter  of  her  sun-bonnet,  quite 
overwhelmed  with  confusion  by  the  sudden 
consciousness  of  having  made  a  terrible  blun 
der,  her  cheeks  aflame  and  her  eyes  filling  with 
tears. 

"  I  think  it  is  a  yard  of  calico  like  that  in 
your  hand,  that  you  want,  and  the  price  of 
«ggs  by  the  dozen,  isn't  it?"  he  asked  pleasantly. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  that's  what  mother  said,"  Annis 
spoke  up  briskly. 

Fan  was  quite  beyond  speaking,  and  kept 
her  face  hidden  in  her  sun-bonnet,  and  hurried 
away  the  moment  her  little  parcel  was  handed 
her. 

Mildred  was  alone  in  the  sitting-room  as  they 
came  in. 

"  "Where's  mother  ?"  asked  Annis. 

"  In  the  parlor,  talking  to  Mr.  Lord.  You 
got  the  calico,  Fan  ?  Here,  give  it  to  me." 
Then  catching  sight  of  the  child's  face  as  she 
drew  near,  "Why,  what's  the  matter?  what 
Lave  you  been  crying  about  ?"  she  asked  in  a 
tone  of  kindly  concern. 


202  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  O  Milly,  I  couldn't  help  it !  I  don't  Ilka 
to  go  errands !"  cried  Fan,  bursting  into  tears 
again. 

Mildred  drew  the  little  weeper  to  her  side, 
wiped  away  the  tears,  kissed  the  wet  cheek, 
and  with  kindly  questioning  drew  the  whole 
story  from  her. 

"  And  Mr.  Chetwood  was  laughing  at  me,  I 
know  he  was !  and  I  don't  want  ever  to  go 
there  any  more !"  concluded  the  child,  hiding 
her  burning  cheeks  on  Mildred's  shoulder. 

"  Oh !  you  needn't  mind  that,"  Mildred  said; 
"  just  join  in  the  laugh.  That's  the  way  Aunt 
Wealthy  does ;  and  your  mistake  is  very  much 
like  some  of  hers." 

"  Then  I  don't  care  so  much,  for  nobody's 
nicer  than  Aunt  Wealthy — unless  it's  mother 
and  father  and  you." 

"  You  needn't  except  me.  I'm  by  no  means 
equal  to  Aunt  Wealthy,"  Mildred  said,  smiling, 
and  stroking  Fan's  hair. 

Annis  had  run  into  the  parlor,  and  they  were 
quite  alone. 

"  Milly,"  said  Fan,  after  a  moment's  silence, 
"  I  thought  God  heard  our  prayers  ?" 

"So  he  does,  Fan." 

"  Yes,  but  I  mean  I  thought  he  would  do 
what  we  asked." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  203 

"  Not  always,  because  we  often  ask  for  some 
thing  that  he  sees  would  not  be  good  for  ns. 
But  what  are  you  thinking  about  ?  have  you 
prayed  for  something  that  you  didn't  get? 
Perhaps  you  expected  the  answer  too  soon. 
We  often  have  to  wait  and  pray  again  and 
again  many  times,  and  at  last  the  answer  comes. 
And  sometimes  it  comes  in  a  better  way  than 
we  had  thought  of." 

"  I'll  tell  you,  Milly,"  Fan  said  slowly  and 
hesitatingly,  "I  prayed  that  Mrs.  Clark 
mightn't  be  at  home ;  but  there  she  was." 

Mildred  could  scarcely  keep  from  smiling. 
"  That  wasn't  a  good  or  right  prayer,  little 
sister,"  she  said,  "  because — don't  you  see  ? — 
it  was  selfish,  and  almost  the  same  as  disobey 
ing  mother;  since  if  the  prayer  had  been 
granted  you  would  have  been  prevented  from 
doing  her  errand." 

"Milly,  I  didn't  think  of  that,"  Fan  an 
swered  penitently.  "I  won't  pray  that  way 
any  more." 

"No,  dear;  a  better  prayer  would  be  for 
help  to  overcome  your  foolish  timidity.  "We 
will  both  ask  our  kind  heavenly  Father  for 
that." 


CHAPTEK  XYI. 

•'  Whither  my  heart  is  gone,  there  follows  my  hand  and  not 
elsewhere  .  '  '  LONGFELLOW. 


will  pass  briefly  over  the  events  of  the 
next  five  years,  during  which  there  were  few 
changes  in  the  Keith  family  but  such  as  time 
must  bring  to  all. 

The  lines  had  deepened  somewhat  on  Mr. 
Keith's  brow  and  the  hair  on  his  temples  was 
growing  gray.  The  anxieties  and  burdens  of 
life  pressed  more  heavily  upon  him  than  upon 
his  lighter-hearted,  more  trustful  wife;  she 
having  learned  more  fully  than  he  to  "  lean 
hard  "  upon  the  Lord,  casting  all  her  care  upon 
him,  in  the  full  assurance  that  he  cared  for  her 
and  "  that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to 
them  that  love  God;"  she  looked  scarcely  a 
day  older  than  at  the  time  of  Mildred's  return 
from  her  visit  to  Roselands. 

These  had  been  years  of  toil  and  struggle  to 
feed,  clothe,  and  educate  their  large  family  of 
children.  They  had  thus  far  been  successful, 
but  only  by  dint  of  good  management,  close 
economy,  and  hard  work. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  206 

Rupert  had  completed  his  college  course  and 
gone  into  the  drug  business  in  connection  with 
Dr.  Grange. 

It  was  a  great  joy  to  Mildred  that  her  earn 
ings  as  music  teacher  had  assisted  largely  in 
paying  the  expense  of  her  brother's  education. 
Rupert  found  it  hard  to  consent  to  this,  but 
finally  did  so  with  the  distinct  understanding 
that  he  was  to  repay  the  money  with  interest. 
"  The  sisterly  kindness,"  he  said,  "  I  can  never 
repay." 

"  Yes,"  Mildred  returned,  with  an  arch  look 
and  smile,  "  you  can ;  by  showing,  in  like  man 
ner,  brotherly  kindness  to  Cyril  and  Don." 

"  As  I  certainly  hope  to  do,"  Rupert  re 
sponded  with  hearty  good-will. 

And  now  he  and  Mildred  were  pleasing 
themselves  with  the  thought  that  the  worst  of 
the  struggle  was  over.  Zillah  and  Ada  were 
done  with  school,  though  still  pursuing  some 
studies  with  Mildred  at  home ;  it  had  been  de 
cided  that  Fan  and  Annis  could  and  should  be 
entirely  educated  by  the  older  sisters ;  and  so 
Cyril  and  Don  were  the  only  ones  whose  tui 
tion  would  still  be  an  item  of  expense  to  the 
parents — an  expense  of  which  the  good  daugh 
ter  and  son  each  hoped  to  bear  a  part. 

Rupert  would  be  able  to  do  so  after  awhile 


206  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

— "  by  the  time  the  lads  were  ready  for  col 
lege" — and  Mildred  could  assist  now ;  as  she 
was  still  teaching,  and  finding  it  more  profit 
able  than  ever. 

It  sometimes  seemed  weary  work,  but  she 
would  not  give  it  up ;  indeed,  the  joy  of  help 
ing  to  bear  the  burdens  of  the  dear  father  and 
mother  far  more  than  repaid  her  for  her  self- 
denying  toil. 

The  town  had  grown  very  much,  and  one  of 
the  new-comers  was  a  music  teacher ;  but  Mil 
dred  had  established  a  good  reputation,  and  had 
always  as  many  pupils  as  she  cared  to  take. 

In  all  these  years  she  had  heard  not  a  word 
from  Charlie  Landreth ;  yet  her  heart  remained 
true  to  him. 

She  did  not  seclude  herself  from  society,  but 
generally  took  part  in  the  innocent  pastimes 
of  the  young  people  of  her  own  station,  and 
was  always  cheerful  and  pleasant,  not  seldom 
even  gay  and  lively;  now  and  then  she  ac 
cepted  the  escort  of  one  or  another  of  her  gentle 
men  friends,  but  she  would  not  receive  partic 
ular  attentions  from  any.  Still  one  or  two  had 
determinately  sought  her  hand  in  marriage,  but 
only  to  meet  with  a  gentle  yet  firm  rejection. 

Wallace  Ormsby  still  continued  on  the  most 
friendly  terms  of  intimacy  in  the  family,  and 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  207 

after  two  years  had  passed  without  news  of  his 
favored  rival,  ventured  to  renew  his  suit.  The 
result  of  this  effort  convinced  him  of  the  utter 
hopelessness  of  ever  winning  the  coveted  prize. 
He  grieved  over  this  second  disappointment 
for  a  time,  but  of  late  had  begun  to  turn  his 
longing  eyes  in  a  new  direction,  and  Mildred 
perceived  it  with  pleasure. 

Wallace  had  been  taken  into  partnership 
with  Mr.  Keith,  and  she  would  gladly  welcome 
him  into  the  family,  for  she  had,  as  she  had 
said,  a  truly  sisterly  affection  for  him. 

Zillah  and  Ada  were  budding  into  very 
lovely  womanhood.  Of  the  two,  Zillah  was  the 
more  strikingly  handsome  and  the  more 
sprightly ;  full  of  innocent  mirth  and  gayety, 
witty  and  quick  at  repartee,  she  was  the  life  of 
every  company  of  which  she  formed  a  part. 

Ada's  manner  was  more  quiet  and  reserved, 
but  suited  well  with  her  intellectual  counte 
nance  and  the  noble  contour  of  her  features. 
They  were  inseparable,  and  whenever  oppor 
tunity  offered  "Wallace  Ormsby  was  sure  to  be 
with  them. 

Speculation  was  rife  among  the  gossips  of 
the  town  as  to  which  "  he  was  courting,"  or 
whether  it  might  be  that  he  was  in  love  with 
both.  Mildred,  with  her  better  opportunitiea 


208  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

for  observation,  and  vision  sharpened  by  keen 
sisterly  affection,  presently  settled  that  ques 
tion  in  her  own  mind,  and  satisfied  herself  that 
in  this  instance  the  course  of  true  love  was 
likely  to  run  smooth. 

The  little  coterie  of  which  Mildred  and 
Wallace  had  formed  a  part  was  broken  up — 
the  other  four  having  paired  off  for  life;  it 
was  known  now  that  Claudina  Chetwood  was 
engaged  to  Yorke  Mocker,  and  Lucilla  Grange 
to  Will  Chetwood. 

It  was  the  afternoon  for  the  meeting  of  the 
ladies'  sewing  society.  They  were  preparing 
a  box  of  clothing  for  a  "Western  home  mission 
ary.  The  whole  Keith  family  took  a  deep  in 
terest  in  the  good  work ;  each  one  had  con 
tributed  toward  it ;  the  three  older  girls  were 
at  the  meeting,  busily  plying  their  needles, 
while  at  home  the  mother  was  finishing  a  gar 
ment,  the  two  little  girls  sitting  beside  her 
hemming  towels :  all  for  the  box. 

Indeed,  the  interest  was  very  general  in  the 
church,  and  there  was  a  goodly  gathering  of 
ladies  in  Mrs.  Prior's  parlor,  where  the  society 
held  its  meeting  this  week.  The  room  was 
large  and  the  busy  workers  had  grouped  them 
selves  together  here  and  there  as  inclination 
dictated :  Mildred,  Claudina,  and  Lu  forming 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

one  group ;  Zillah,  Ada,  and  several  of  their 
young  companions  another ;  while  a  third  wa£ 
composed  of  older  ladies. 

The  three  heads  in  the  first  group  were  very 
close  together,  the  three  voices  conversing 
earnestly  in  tones  too  subdued  to  give  any  of 
the  others  an  inkling  of  the  subject  of  their 
talk.  But  there  were  wise  surmises. 

"  I  reckon  they're  planning  for  the  wed 
dings,"  whispered  one  elderly  lady  to  her  next 
neighbor,  indicating  by  a  motion  of  the  head 
whom  she  meant. 

"Likely,"  was  the  rejoinder.  "Do  you 
know  when  they're  to  come  off  ?" 

"  No  ;  but  before  long,  I  guess.  I  don't  see. 
that  there's  anything  to  wait  for." 

"  Unless  for  Mildred  and  Wallace  Ormsby 
to  make  it  up  together,  so  that  the  whole  six. 
can  pair  off  at  once  and  so  make  a  triple  wed 
ding.  It  would  be  a  novel  and  pretty  idea, 
now  wouldn't  it  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  and  I  used  to  think  that  would  be  a 
match,  but  I've  changed  my  mind.  It's  plain 
to  be  seen  now  that  it's  one  of  the  younger 
sisters  he's  after." 

"  Mildred's  young  enough ;  doesn't  look  a  day 
over  twenty,  though  I  suppose  she's  really 
twenty-three  or  four." 


•210  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  About  that,  I  suppose ;  but  she  could  easily 
pass  for  eighteen.  I  wonder  if  she's  made  up 
her  mind  to  be  an  old  maid.  If  I  can  read 
the  signs  Wallace  was  deeply  in  love  with  her 
at  one  time;  and  it's  said  she's  had  other 
offers." 

"  I  don't  doubt  it ;  she's  too  charming  to 
liave  escaped  that,  if  the  young  men  have  any 
taste.  Yet  she's  not  so  handsome,  after  all,  as 
.Zillah.  I  wonder  why  she  wouldn't  have  Wal 
lace  ;  he's  fine-looking,  and  an  excellent  match 
^very  way." 

"Perhaps  she  left  her  heart  in  the  South- 
I've  thought  I  could  see  a  change  in  her  ever 
*ince  her  visit  there.  Well,  I  don't  believe  her 
mother's  in  any  hurry  to  have  her  marry  and 
leave,  for  there  never  was  a  better  daughter  or 
•sister.  I've  heard  Mrs.  Keith  say  more  than 
once  that  she  didn't  know  how  she  could  ever 
do  without  Mildred." 

"  And  she  may  well  say  so,"  joined  in  Mrs. 
Prior;  "the  other  two  are  uncommon  nice 
girls,  but  Mildred  bears  off  the  palm  to  my 
thinking.  I  hear  folks  wondering  now  and 
then  how  it  is  that  Mr.  Lord  has  lived  single 
all  these  years.  I  don't  profess  to  know  any 
thing  for  certain  about  it,  but  I've  strong  sus 
picions  that  he's  tried  for  Mildred  Keith  and 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

couldn't  get  her,  and  can't  be  content  to  take 
anybody  else." 

"  She  seems  cut  out  for  a  minister's  wife,'* 
remarked  one  of  the  others. 

"  Yes ;  she'd  make  a  good  one,  I  don't 
doubt,"  assented  Mrs.  Prior ;  "  but  I  don't 
blame  her  for  refusing  him  (if  she  has  done  it);, 
it's  a  kind  of  a  hard  life,  and  he's  too  old  for 
her  and  too  absented-minded  and  odd." 

The  girls — Mildred  and  her  mates — were 
talking  over  the  arrangements  for  the  ap 
proaching  nuptials.  The  young  men  wanted 
a  double  wedding  and  the  girls  were  not  averse 
to  the  idea,  but  the  parents  of  each  wanted  to 
see  their  own  daughter  married  beneath  their 
own  roof. 

"  My  father  says  the  ceremony  ought  to  be 
performed  in  his  house,  since  one  of  the  con 
tracting  parties  in  each  case  is  his  child,"  said 
Claudina ;  "  but  Dr.  Grange  can't  see  the  force 
of  the  argument." 

"  No,"  said  Lu,  "  both  he  and  mother  say 
that  it  is  always  at  the  house  of  the  bride's 
parents  the  ceremony  should  be  performed." 

"  Can't  yon  compromise  by  having  it  in  the 
church  ?"  asked  Mildred. 

"  That  is  what  we'll  have  to  do,  I  presume," 
said  Claudina,  "  if  we  are  to  have  a  double 


212  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

wedding.  And  O  Mildred  !  if  you  and  Wai- 
lace  would  only  make  up  a  match  and  let  us 
have  a  triple  one,  I  think  it  would  be  just 
splendid." 

"And  so  do  I,"  chimed  in  Lu.  "Now 
what's  to  hinder  ?" 

"  A  good  deal,"  replied  Mildred  with  a 
smile  and  a  blush.  "  I  doubt  if  it  wouldn't 
make  three  or  four  people  unhappy  for 
life." 

"  What  can  you  mean !  I've  been  perfectly 
sure  for  years  past  that  Wallace  adored  you," 
was  Claud  ina's  surprised  exclamation. 

Mildred's  only  reply  was  a  quiet  smile. 

"  And  I  dare  say  he  must  have  popped  the 
question  before  this,"  Claudina  went  on  teas- 
ingly ;  "  so  now  do  be  good  and  obliging 
enough  to  fall  in  with  my  plan,  for  it's  a  capi 
tal  one.  Isn't  it,  Lu  ?" 

"  Oh !  just  lovely,"  was  the  eager  rejoinder. 
"Mildred,  do  ;  that's  a  dear  !" 

"  Indeed,  girls,"  Mildred  said,  her  eyes  danc 
ing  with  merriment,  "  I  do  like  to  oblige,  but 
in  this  instance  it  is  beyond  the  bounds  of  pos 
sibility.  Whatever  you  may  think,  Wallace 
does  not  want  me,  nor  I  him." 

"  Well,  then,  all  I  have  to  say  is  that  neither 
of  you  has  good  taste.  And  I'd  set  my  heart 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

on  the  match,"  Claudina  said  in  pretended  in 
dignation. 

Meantime  the  younger  girls  were  chatting 
gayly  among  themselves,  flitting  lightly  from 
one  theme  to  another — school  affairs,  pleasure 
parties,  dress,  and  beaux ;  teasing  each  other 
about  the  latter,  as  young  girls  will. 

Zillah  and  Ada  came  in  for  their  share. 
"  Which  of  them  was  Wallace  Ormsby  court 
ing  ?"  they  were  asked. 

"  Probably  both,"  Ada  answered  in  a  tone 
of  irony.  "  He  is  a  man  of  original  ideas,  and 
doesn't  always  do  things  by  rule." 

"  And  he  knows  we  can't  live  apart,"  added 
Zillah,  blushing  and  smiling. 

"  Nonsense !  he  can't  marry  you  both.  Now 
which  of  you  is  it  ?" 

"  Suppose  you  ask  him,"  returned  Zillah,  the- 
color  deepening  still  more  on  her  cheek. 

"  I  declare  I've  a  great  mind  to !  I  believe 
I'll  do  it  to-night,  if  I  get  a  chance,"  returned 
her  tormentor  laughingly. 

It  was  the  custom  for  the  ladies  to  come  to 
the  society  as  early  in  the  afternoon  as  practi' 
cable,  stay  to  a  plain  tea  and  until  nine  or  ten. 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  gentlemen  joining 
them  for  the  last  hour  or  two — an  arrangement 
which  served  the  double  purpose  of  interesting. 


214  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

the  latter  in  the  good  work  in  a  way  to  draw 
forth  their  contributions,  and  to  provide  escorts 
for  the  ladies  on  their  homeward  walk. 

There  was  a  full  attendance  that  evening. 
Among  the  early  arrivals  came  Nicholas  Rans- 
quattle,  bowing  low,  right  and  left,  as  he  en 
tered  the  room.  "  Good-evening,  ladies.  I'm 
happy  to  see  you  all."  Then  straightening 
himself  and  throwing  back  his  head  (now 
grown  very  bald)  upon  his  shoulders  in  the 
old,  awkward  fashion,  he  sent  his  dull  gray 
eyes  searchingly  about  the  room. 

"  He's  looking  for  you,"  Zillah's  next  neigh 
bor  whispered  in  her  ear.  "  I  heard  the  other 
day  that  he  said  down  town,  talking  with  some 
of  the  fellows,  that  he  was  going  to  cut  Wal 
lace  Ormsby  out.  And  there,  just  see !  he's 
making  straight  for  this  corner.  You  ought 
to  feel  proud  of  your  conquest,  Zil." 

"  Not  till  I'm  sure  I've  made  it,  Sallie  ;  no, 
not  even  then,"  Zillah  returned  somewhat 
scornfully ;  "  since  I  should  be  but  one  among 
the  multitude  of  his  adorable  angels." 

Sallie  laughed  and  nodded  assent,  as  Nicho 
las  drew  up  a  chair  and  seated  himself  between 
them. 

It  was  the  common  report  that  he  had 
-courted  every  girl  of  marriageable  age  in  the 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  215- 

town,  offering  heart  and  hand  to  each  in  suc 
cession  as  they  moved  into  the  place  or  grew 
to  young  maidenhood.  No  one  had  accepted 
him  yet ;  he  had  never  been  attractive  to  the 
softer  sex,  and  did  not  become  more  so  with 
advancing  years.  Behind  his  back  the  girls 
were  unsparing  in  their  ridicule  of  his  awk 
ward  carriage,  homely  features,  and  unbounded 
vanity  and  self-conceit.  They  had  dubbed 
him  "  Old  Nick"  and  "  The  Bald  Eagle." 

"  Permit  your  humble  servant  to  be  a  thorn 
between  two  roses,  ladies,"  he  said  with  an 
other  low  bow  as  he  seated  himself. 

"  Provided  you  are  a  useful  one,  Mr.  Ran- 
squattle,"  replied  Sallie,  giving  him  a  needle 
to  thread.  "They  are  of  use  sometimes,  I 
suppose." 

"  Yes,  Miss  Rush,  to  protect  the  roses,  which 
I  shall  be  most  happy  to  do." 

"  Protect  them  from  what  ?"  asked  Zillah 
dryly. 

"  From  rude  and  careless  hands  that  would 
fain  pluck  them  from  the  parent  stem ;  per 
chance  only  to  cast  them  neglectfully  aside  and 
let  them  die."  And  Nicholas  glanced  signifi 
cantly  toward  Ormsby,  who  had  entered  the 
room  at  that  moment,  and  was  bidding  "  Good- 
evening  "  to  their  hostess. 


216  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Wallace  caught  the  glance,  noted  by  •whom 
Ransquattle  was  seated,  and  flushed  angrily. 

"  Roses  must  die  whether  plucked  or  not," 
remarked  Sallie,  "  and  the  fingers  that  pluck 
them  save  them  from  wasting  their  sweetness 
on  the  desert  air." 

"  You'll  never  be  left  to  so  sad  a  fate,  Miss 
Rush,"  was  the  gallant  rejoinder. 

"  I  don't  know,"  she  replied,  laughing  and 
shaking  her  head,  "  there  may  be  some  danger 
if  the  thorns  are  too  close  when  the  gatherer 
x)f  roses  comes." 

"Wallace  had  found  a  seat  near  Mildred,  and 
•she  noticed  that  as  he  talked  with  her  he  stole 
many  a  furtive  and  ill-pleased  glance  in  Zil- 
lah's  direction. 

Mildred  was  folding  up  her  work. 

"You  are  not  going  yet,"  he  said.  "It 
wants  a  full  half  hour  of  the  usual  time  for 
'dispersing." 

"  I  know,  but  Mrs.  Smith  is  very  sick,  and 
I  have  promised  to  watch  with  her  to-night." 

"  Milly,  I'm  going  home,"  Ada  said,  coming 
up  at  that  instant.  "  Mother  will  be  lonely, 
perhaps,  and  I  can  work  just  as  well  there  as 
iere." 

"  But  I  must  go  now,  and  we  must  not  leare 
-Zillah  to  go  home  alone." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  217 

"  No,  but  Ru  will  be  here  directly  I — " 

"  Let  me  have  the  pleasure  of  escorting  yon 
both,  and  I'll  come  back  for  Zillah,"  said  Wal 
lace,  speaking  hastily  in  an  undertone. 

His  offer  was  accepted,  and  the  three  slipped 
quietly  away.  Mrs.  Smith's  house  was  the 
nearer,  and  not  much  out  of  the  way  in  going 
to  Mr.  Keith's;  so  Mildred  was  seen  to  her 
destination  first,  then  "Wallace  and  Ada  walked 
on  to  hers. 

"Wallace  expected  to  leave  her  at  the  door, 
and  returning  in  good  season,  ask  the  privilege 
of  seeing  Zillah  safely  home  also ;  but  Mr. 
Keith  called  him  in,  saying  he  had  an  impor 
tant  matter  to  consult  him  about,  and  in  spite 
of  the  young  man's  ill-concealed  impatience  to 
be  gone,  kept  him  there  for  more  than  an 
hour. 

In  the  mean  time  Bansquattle  made  good 
use  of  his  opportunity ;  managing  so  that,  to 
Zillah's  extreme  vexation,  she  could  not  reject 
his  offered  escort  without  great  rudeness. 

"  Forewarned,  forearmed,"  she  said  to  her 
self,  thinking  of  Sallie's  gossip  as  they  set  out : 
"  'twill  go  hard  with  me,  but  I'll  prevent  his 
getting  his  opportunity  to-night ;"  and  she  rat 
tled  on  in  the  liveliest  strain  without  an  in 
stant's  intermission,  talking  the  most  absurd 


218  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

nonsense  just  to  prevent  her  companion  from 
opening  his  lips. 

They  had  reached  her  father's  gate  before 
he  succeeded  in  doing  so.  She  had  no  notion 
of  asking  him  in. 

"  Good-night,  Mr.  Ransquattle,"  she  said 
gayly,  letting  go  his  arm  and  stepping  hastily 
inside  as  he  held  the  gate  open  for  her.  "  I'm 
much  obliged  for  your  trouble." 

"  Excuse  me,  Miss  Zillah,  for  detaining  you 
a  moment,  but  I  have  something  very  particu 
lar  to  tell  you,"  he  said,  hardly  waiting  for  the 
end  of  her  sentence.  "  You  are  a  very  lovely 
and  charming  young  lady." 

"  Oh,  that's  no  news !  I've  heard  it  dozens 
of  times,"  she  interrupted,  laughing  and  taking 
a  backward  step  as  if  on  the  point  of  running 
away. 

"  No  doubt ;  but  never,  I  am  sure,  from  so 
devoted  an  admirer  as  your  humble  servant 
Miss  Zillah,  I  lay  my  heart,  hand,  and  fortune 
at  your  feet." 

"  Oh  don't  Mr.  Ransquattle,"  she  inter 
rupted  again,  half -recoiling  as  she  spoke ;  "  it's 
a  dangerous  place  to  lay  articles  so  valuable, 
lest  perchance  they  should  be  accidentally  trod 
den  on." 

"  Can  you  have  misunderstood  me  ?"  he 
asked,  as  it  would  seem  in  some  surprise  at  her 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  219 

obtuseness.  "I  meant  to  ask  you  to  marry 
me.  Will  you?  But  don't  answer  now. 
Take  time  to  consider,  and  I  will  call  to-mor 
row  to  learn  my  fate  from  the  sweetest  lipa  in 
the  world." 

He  was  bowing  an  adieu ;  but  now  she  de 
tained  him.  Drawing  herself  up  with  dignity, 
and  speaking  in  a  calm,  cold  tone  of  firm  de 
termination,  "  No,  do  not  call,  Mr.  Ransquat- 
tle,"  she  said  :  "I  need  no  time  to  consider  the 
question  you  have  asked,  and  will  give  you 
your  answer  now.  I  can  never  bestow  my 
heart  upon  you,  and  therefore  never  my  hand. 
Good-night,  sir;"  and  turning,  she  hastened 
with  a  quick,  light  step  toward  the  house. 

In  the  hall  she  met  Wallace,  who  had  just 
left  her  father  in  the  sitting-room  busy  over 
some  law  papers. 

"  Zillah !"  he  exclaimed,  "  what  is  it  ?  what 
has  happened  ?" 

"  Why  do  you  ask  ?  why  do  you  think  any 
thing  has  happened  ?"  she  returned,  half  avert 
ing  her  face. 

"Because  you  look  so  flushed  and  indig 
nant.  If  anybody  has  been  insulting  you — " 

"  O  Wallace,  what  nonsense !"  she  cried, 
with  a  little  nervous  laugh. 

"  Well,  I'm  glad  if  it  is  not  so,"  he  said.  "I 
hope  no  one  would  dare.  I  meant  to  go  back 


220  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

to  the  society  directly,  hoping  to  have  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  you  home,  but  was  unavoid 
ably  detained.  It's  early  yet  though,  and  such 
a  lovely  moonlight  evening.  Won't  you  take 
a  little  stroll  with  me  ?" 

"  If  you'll  wait  a  moment  till  I  tell  mother 
we're  going." 

Mildred,  finding  she  was  not  needed  at  Mrs. 
Smith's,  had  returned  home  and  was  just 
ready  for  bed  ;  had  blown  out  her  candle  and 
was  standing  by  the  window  gazing  out  and 
thinking  how  lovely  everything  looked  in  the 
moonlight,  when  her  door  opened  softly  and 
the  next  instant  Zillah's  arms  were  about  her 
neck,  her  face  half  hidden  on  her  shoulder. 

"  How  you  tremble !"  Mildred  said,  putting 
an  arm  around  the  slender  waist ;  "  has  any 
thing  gone  wrong  ?" 

"  O  Milly,  such  a  funny  time  as  I've  had  in 
the  last  hour  or  two !"  and  the  eyes  that  looked 
up  into  Mildred's  face  were  fairly  dancing 
with  merriment.  "  I  seem  destined  to  play 
second  fiddle  to  you,  so  far  as  the  admiration 
of  the  other  sex  is  concerned ;  having  actually 
received  proposals  of  marriage  from  two  of 
your  old  beaux  in  this  one  evening." 

"  Indeed !  Well,  I  hope  you  did  not  accept 
both,"  Mildred  said  laughingly. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  221 

l{  Not  both,  but  one,"  she  whispered  with  a 
low,  joyous  laugh,  and  a  blush  that  was  visible 
even  in  the  moonlight.  "  O  Milly,  I'm  so 
happy  !  I  don't  care  if  I  am  taking  what  you 
refused.  Wallace  is  far  beyond  my  deserts, 
and  I  wouldn't  exchange  him  for  a  king." 

"Wallace!  O  Zillah,  how  glad  I  am!  I 
need  no  longer  feel  remorseful  for  having 
wrecked  his  happiness,  and  shall  rejoice  to  call 
him  brother :  he  will  be  one  to  be  proud  of." 

"Yes;  I  am  obliged  to  you  for  rejecting 
him ;  and  I  dare  say  so  is  he  now,"  she  added 
saucily,  her  eyes  again  dancing  with  fun. 

"  I  don't  doubt  it.  And  now  perhaps 
there'll  be  a  triple  wedding  after  all." 

"What  are  you  talking  about?"  returned 
Zillah  in  astonishment ;  "  'tisn't  time  to  be 
thinking  of  weddings  yet." 

"  It  would  be  too  soon,"  Mildred  said,  and 
went  on  to  explain  the  occasion  of  her  remark ; 
then  said,  "  But  you  haven't  told  me  whose  was 
the  other  offer." 

"  Oh,  can't  you  guess  ?"  laughed  Zillah ; 
"  don't  you  know  that  the  Bald  Eagle  is  still 
in  quest  of  a  mate  ?" 

"  Old  Nick  was  it  ?  Now  then  you  must  just 
tell  the  whole  story,"  Mildred  said  in  a  tone  of 
amusement. 


222  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  'Twas  quite  a  variation  from  his  offer  to 
you,"  Zillah  answered  mirthfully,  and  went  on 
to  give  a  detailed  and  amusing  account  of  the 
walk  home  and  the  short  colloquy  at  the  gate. 

Then  bidding  good-night  she  hastened  to 
her  own  room,  shared  with  Ada,  and  repeated 
the  story  to  her,  winding  up  with,  "  Your  turn 
will  come,  you  may  depend  upon  that ;  so  try 
to  be  prepared." 

"  Small  need  of  preparation,"  was  the  cool 
rejoinder.  "But  you've  had  a  walk  with 
Wallace  since.  Won't  you  tell  me  what  he 
said." 

"  I  couldn't  begin  to  remember  it  all,  but — • 
Ada,  darling,  can  you  spare  me  to  him  ?" 

The  last  words  were  spoken  in  a  tremu 
lous  half-whisper,  her  arm  about  her  sister's 
neck,  her  lips  close  to  her  ear. 

"  I  knew  'twould  come  to  that  before  long !" 
sighed  Ada,  with  a  hug  and  a  kiss,  whilo 
tears  sprang  to  her  eyes.  "  O  Zillah,  dear,  I 
believe  my  happiest  days  are  over  and  gone  !'r 

"  No !  No !  no,  darling !  the  very,  very 
sweetest  are  yet  to  come !  Love  will  be  yours 
some  day  as  it  is  mine  to-night ;  and 

'  There's  nothing  half  so  sweet  in  life 
As  love's  young  dream. '  " 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

"  But  happy  they  I  the  happiest  of  their  kind  I 
Whom  gentler  stars  unite,  and  in  one  fate 
Their  hearts,  their  fortunes,  and  their  beings  blenct" 

WALLACE  OKMSBY  sought  and  obtained  a 
second  interview  with  Mr.  Keith  that  evening, 
in  which  he  asked  his  senior  partner  to  take 
him  into  still  closer  relations,  and  bestow  upon 
him  a  priceless  gift. 

Mr.  Keith  was  both  surprised  and  moved. 
"I  can't  realize  that  she's  really  grown  up,"  he 
said,  "  and — I — don't  know  how  to  spare  her 
even  to  you,  Wallace." 

"  But  you  know,  my  dear  sir,  it  isn't  as  if  I 
wanted  to  carry  her  away." 

"No,  that's  quite  true.  But  her  mother's 
right  in  her  is  fully  equal  to  mine.  Wait  a 
moment  till  I  call  her  in." 

So  the  request  and  the  arguments  in  its  fa 
vor  had  to  be  repeated. 

The  mother's  eyes  filled,  and  for  a  moment 
she  was  silent.  Then,  holding  out  her  hand  to 
the  young  man,  "  I  have  long  had  a  motherly 
affection  for  you,  Wallace,"  she  said,  "and 
there  is  no  one  else  to  whom  I  could  so  will- 


224  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

ingly  entrust  the  happiness  of  my  dear  child, 
and  yet  it  is  very  hard  to  give  her  up." 

"Don't  think  of  it  in  that  way,  dear  Mrs. 
Keith,"  he  made  answer  in  tones  of  the  deep 
est  respect,  taking  the  hand  and  lifting  it  gal 
lantly  to  his  lips.  "Think  of  it  rather  as 
taking  another  member,  another  son,  into  the 
family.  It  would  be  joy  to  me  to  have  the 
right  to  call  you  mother." 

"  And  I  should  be  proud  to  own  you  as  my 
son,"  she  returned  with  her  own  sweet,  moth 
erly  smile.  "  But  Zillah  herself  must  decide 
this  question." 

"  Then  I  have  nothing  to  fear,  nothing  more 
to  ask,"  he  said  joyously. 

In  truth,  no  one  had  any  objection  to  bring 
against  the  match,  and  all  went  smoothly  and 
happily  with  the  newly  affianced  pair. 

The  next  day  "Wallace  came  hurrying  iu 
with  beaming  countenance  and  eager  air.  "Ah ! 
it  was  you  I  wanted,"  he  said,  finding  his  be 
trothed  alone  in  the  parlor,  whither  she  had 
betaken  herself  for  her  daily  hour  of  practice 
on  the  piano.  "  "Won't  you  put  on  a  shawl  and 
bonnet  and  come  with  me  ?" 

"  "Where  ?"  she  asked  with  a  merry  twinkle 
in  her  eye. 

"Just  across  the  street  to  look  at  that  house 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  225 

of  Miller's.     It's  nearly  finished,  and  he's  will 
ing  to  sell." 

"  But  who  wants  to  buy  ?"  she  asked  in  her 
pretty,  saucy  way,  as  she  stepped  into  the  hall 
and  tied  on  a  bonnet  which  she  took  from  the 
hat-rack  there,  while  "Wallace  threw  a  shawl 
about  her  shoulders. 

"Perhaps  we  can  better  answer  that  ques 
tion  after  we've  been  over  it,"  he  said  with  g 
smile. 

So  it  proved ;  the  snug,  pretty,  conveniently 
arranged  cottage — so  close  to  the  old  home 
too — seemed  just  the  thing  for  them.  "  Father, 
mother,"  and  all  the  family  were  presently 
brought  over  to  look  at  and  pronounce  an 
opinion  upon  it,  and  without  a  dissenting  voice 
the  purchase  was  decided  upon. 

"And  now  there's  another  and  still  more 
important  matter  to  be  settled,"  whispered 
Wallace  in  Zillah's  ear. 

"  There  is  no  hurry,"  she  answered,  blushing. 

"  There  is  to  be  a  double  or  a  triple  wedding 
in  our  church  in  about  a  month  from  now,"  he 
went  on  lightly  and  in  coaxing  tones.  "  I  want 
it  to  be  the  latter ;  so  do  four  other  people ; 
but  it  all  depends  on  you.  Come,  darling,  why 
should  we  wait  longer  than  that  ?" 

"  Ah !  it  fairly  frightens  me  to  think  of  such 


226  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

haste,"  she  said,  half  averting  her  blushing 
face. 

"  I  don't  know  why  it  should,"  he  respond 
ed,  his  tone  speaking  both  disappointment  and 
chagrin,  "  unless  you  fear  to  trust  your  happi 
ness  to  my  keeping." 

"  That's  because  men  are  so  different  from 
women ;  but  to  save  a  quarrel — we'll  leave  it 
to  father's  and  mother's  decision ;  shan't  we  ?" 

And  she  turned  to  him  again  with  a  smile 
so  arch  and  sweet  that  he  consented  at  once, 
and  sealed  the  promise  with  a  kiss. 

Father  and  mother  said,  "  Wait  at  least  until 
next  spring ;  you  are  both  young  enough,  and 
we  cannot  part  so  suddenly  with  our  dear 
child." 

"Hardly  a  parting — just  to  let  her  cross  the 
street,"  Wallace  made  answer  with  a  sigh  that 
was  not  altogether  of  resignation ;  then  added 
a  hint  that  he  would  be  willing  to  leave  her  in 
her  father's  house  until  spring  if  only  they 
would  let  him  join  her  there. 

But  that  proposal  was  smilingly  rejected,  and 
the  wedding  day  indefinitely  postponed  until 
"  some  time  in  the  spring." 

Intimate  friends  were  not  kept  in  ignorance 
of  the  engagement,  and  the  two  expectant 
brides  and  bridegrooms  were,  until  convinced 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  227 

of  its  uselessness,  very  urgent  for  the  triple 
wedding. 

The  double  one  took  place  at  the  appointed 
time  and  place,  was  quite  a  brilliant  affair,  and 
followed  by  a  round  of  festivities  such  as  the 
quiet  little  town  had  never  witnessed  before. 
Evening  entertainments  were  given  by  the 
Chetwoods,  the  Granges,  the  Keiths,  and  one 
or  two  others.  Then  life  settled  back  into 
the  ordinary  grooves,  and  the  rest  of  the  fall 
and  winter  passed  without  any  unusual  excite 
ment. 

The  Keiths  were  quietly,  cheerfully  busy,  as 
at  other  times.  "Wallace  came  and  went  as  be 
fore,  but  was  of tener  left  to  Zillah's  sole  enter 
tainment,  yet  treated  more  entirely  than  ever 
as  one  of  the  family. 

Brighter  days  were  dawning  for  our  friends. 
Through  all  these  years  they  had  been  very 
diligent  in  business  and  very  faithful  in  pay 
ing  tithes  of  all  they  possessed,  and  the  truth 
of  Scripture  declarations  and  promises — "the 
hand  of  the  diligent  maketh  rich,"  and  "so 
shall  thy  barns  be  filled  with  plenty  and  thy 
presses  burst  out  with  new  wine" — was  being 
verified  in  their  experience.  This  fall  Messrs. 
Keith  &  Ormsby  found  themselves  successful 
in  several  very  important  cases,  which  brought 


228  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

them  both  fame  and  money ;  the  town  was  now 
growing  rapidly,  business  looking  up,  and  land, 
which  they  had  bought  for  a  trifle  on  first 
coming  to  the  place,  had  already  doubled  and 
trebled  in  value. 

Rupert,  too,  was  succeeding  well  in  his 
chosen  vocation,  and  both  he  and  his  father 
urged  Mildred  to  cease  her  toil  as  a  music 
teacher ,  saying  there  was  now  not  the  slightest 
necessity  for  such  exertion  on  her  part. 

The  mother's  views  coincided  with  theirs, 
but  Mildred  begged  to  be  permitted  to  go  on 
in  the  old  way,  saying  constant  employment 
was  good  for  her;  she  was  used  to  it  and 
liked  it. 

"  And  besides,"  she  added  playfully,  "  I  en 
joy  the  thought  that  I  am  laying  a  little  some 
thing  by  against  old  age  or  a  rainy  day.  I  am 
not  likely  ever  to  marry,  so  will  do  well  to  be 
self-helpful;  and  why  should  I  not  have  a  busi 
ness  the  same  as  if  I  were  a  man  ?  I  shall  be 
all  the  happier,  the  more  useful,  and  the  more 
independent." 

So  they  let  her  have  her  way.  She  was  not 
keeping  employment  from  those  who  needed 
it,  for  there  were  plenty  of  pupils  for  all  the 
teachers  in  the  place.  Effie  Prescott  was  now 
one  of  these — most  faithful  and  successful,  and 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  229~ 


full  of  joy  and  thankfulness  that  thus  she 
able  to  win  her  bread  ;  for  she  had  not  strength 
to  do  so  in  any  more  laborious  way,  and  her 
father  was  poor  enough  to  feel  it  a  relief  to 
have  Effie  supporting  herself. 

"  And  I  have  you  to  thank  for  it,"  she  had 
said  again  and  again  to  Mildred  ;  "  it  is  one  of 
your  good  works,  and  I  shall  never  cease  to  be 
grateful  to  you  for  it." 

"Indeed,  Effie,  you  owe  me  nothing,"  Mil 
dred  would  reply;  "not  even  gratitude,  for 
you  have  paid  well  for  all  I  have  done  for  you. 
You  owe  it  all,  under  God,  to  your  own  indus 
try,  energy,  and  perseverance  in  the  use  and 
improvement  of  the  talents  he  has  given  you." 

To  the  whole  household  at  Mr.  Keith's  the 
all-absorbing  interest  was  the  fitting  up  and 
furnishing  of  the  snug  cottage  across  the  street, 
and  the  preparation  of  Zillah's  trousseau,  in 
the  expense  or  labor  of  which  each  one  was 
determined  to  have  a  share. 

All  these  matters  were  freely  discussed  in 
the  family,  even  the  little  boys  and  girls  being 
deemed  worthy  to  be  trusted  not  to  speak  of 
them  to  outsiders.  Not  that  any  one  felt  that 
there  was  any  special  cause  for  concealment  of 
their  plans  or  doings,  but  they  did  not  wish  to 
have  them  canvassed  and  commented  upon  by 


'230  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

the  busybodies  and  gossips  of  the  town,  who, 
like  those  of  other  places,  always  knew  so 
much  more  of  their  neighbors'  affairs  than  did 
those  neighbors  themselves. 

No  one  rejoiced  more  sincerely  than  Mil 
dred  in  the  evident  happiness  of  the  affianced 
pair ;  no  one  entered  more  heartily  into  their 
plans,  was  of  tener  consulted  in  regard  to  them, 
•or  was  more  generous  with  money  and  labor 
in  carrying  them  out.  Her  sisterly  pride  in 
-Zillah's  beauty  was  without  a  touch  of  envy  or 
jealousy,  though  she  was  fully  aware  of  the 
fact  that  it  far  exceeded  her  own. 

"What  a  lovely  bride  she  will  make !"  Hil- 
•dred  often  whispered  to  herself.  "Wallace 
may  well  feel  consoled  for  my  rejection  of  his 
.suit." 

She  tried  hard  for  perfect  unselfishness,  and 
to  entirely  fill  her  mind  and  heart  with  the 
interests  of  the  hour,  especially  as  affecting 
these  two ;  but  thoughts  of  the  love  that  now 
seemed  lost  to  her,  of  the  dreams  of  happiness 
which  had  been  for  years  gradually  fading  till 
there  was  scarcely  a  vestige  of  them  left,  would 
At  times  intrude  themselves,  filling  her  with 
a  sadness  she  could  scarce  conceal  from  the 
watchful  eyes  of  the  tender  mother  who  knew 
and  so  fully  sympathized  in  the  sorrows  and 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  231 

anxieties  of  this  her  first-born  and  dearly  be* 
loved  child. 

She  knew  that  even  yet  there  was  a  constant 
longing,  a  half -unconscious  daily  looking  for  of 
news  of  the  wanderer  as  the  mail  came  in,  fol 
lowed  each  time  by  renewed  disappointment, 
and  that  often  the  poor,  weary  heart  grew  sick 
indeed  with  hope  deferred. 

As  spring  opened,  the  day  for  the  wedding 
drew  near,  and  the  preparations  for  it  were 
almost  completed.  Mildred's  sadness  of  heart 
increased,  until  it  cost  her  a  constant  and  often 
heroic  struggle  to  maintain  her  cheerfulness 
before  others;  while  at  times  she  could  not 
refrain  from  shedding  many  tears  in  the  pri 
vacy  of  her  own  room.  One  evening  her 
mother,  entering  softly,  found  her  weeping. 

"  My  dear,  dear  child !"  she  whispered,  taking- 
her  in  her  arms  and  caressing  her  tenderly, 
"  my  dear,  brave,  unselfish  girl !  you  do  not 
know  how  your  mother  loves  you !" 

"Precious  mother!"  responded  the  weeping 
girl,  hastily  wiping  away  her  tears  and  return 
ing  the  caress ;  "  what  could  I  ever  do  without 
your  dear  love !  I  am  ashamed  of  my  depres 
sion  ;  ashamed  that  I  should  yield  to  it  in 
this  way.  Ah,  I  little  deserve  to  be  called 
brave!" 


232  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  It  has  been  a  long,  hard  trial,  dear  daugh 
ter,"  Mrs.  Keith  said,  softly  stroking  Mildred's 
hair,  "  and  yon  have  borne  it  wonderfully  well ; 
as  you  could  not  in  your  own  strength,  I  well 
know." 

"  No,  never !  The  joy  of  the  Lord  has  been 
my  strength,  else  my  heart  would  have  broken 
long  ago;  for  oh,  this  terrible  suspense!  so 
much  worse  than  any  certainty  could  be !" 

"  I  know  it,  darling,"  her  mother  responded 
in  moved  tones ;  "  then  would  it  not  be  your 
wisest  course  to  endeavor  to  convince  yourself 
that  either  utter  indifference  or  death  has  ended 
this  for  you  ?" 

"Mother,  that  is  not  in  the  power  of  my 
Trill.  That  Charlie  could  prove  untrue  I  can 
not  believe,  and  something  tells  me  that  he  still 
lives." 

"Then,  dearest,  cheer  up.  "Why  this  in 
creased  sadness  of  late  ?" 

"  I  hardly  know  myself,  mother  dear ;  I  am 
sure  my  whole  heart  rejoices  in  the  happiness 
of  my  sister  and  Wallace ;  yet  somehow  the 
sight  of  it  seems  to  deepen  my  own  sorrow  by 
-contrast.  I  fear  it  is  because  I  am  selfish." 

"I  cannot  think  so,"  her  mother  said;  "so 
<lo  not  harbor  that  thought,  thus  adding  to 
your  distress.  Try  to  cast  your  care  on  the 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  233 

Lord,  fully  believing  the  inspired  declaration 
that  *  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them 
that  love  God,  to  them  who  are  the  called  ac 
cording  to  his  purpose.'  He  is  never  for  a 
moment  unmindful  of  one  of  his  children ;  he 
has  a  plan  for  each  one,  and  suffers  no  real 
evil  to  befall  them.  '  Best  in  the  Lord,  and 
wait  patiently  for  him.' " 

"Ah,  mother!"  Mildred  said,  smiling 
through  her  tears,  "  I  am  more  and  more  con 
vinced  that  all  I  need  to  make  me  perfectly 
happy  is  strong,  unwavering  faith  in  the  wis 
dom  and  love  of  my  heavenly  Father ;  then  I 
should  rejoice  to  do  and  suffer  all  his  holy  will, 
never  doubting  that  what  he  sends  is  the  very 
best  for  me." 

There  was  an  additional  cause  for  Mildred's 
depression  just  at  this  time — one  felt  in  greater 
•or  less  degree  by  all  the  Keiths — in  the  thought 
*hat  this  was  the  beginning  of  the  inevitable 
breaking  up  of  the  dear  family  circle — the 
forming  by  one  of  their  number  of  new  ties, 
#hich  must  in  some  measure  supplant  the  old 
— the  tender  loves  of  parents  and  children, 
brothers  and  sisters.  Zillah  was  not  going  far 
away,  and  they  did  not  fear  to  trust  her  to  "Wal 
lace  ;  but  their  home  would  no  longer  be  hers, 
and  another,  in  whose  veins  ran  no  drop  oi 


234  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

their  blood,  would  henceforth  be  nearer  and 
dearer  to  her  than  they. 

Except  the  parents,  perhaps  no  other  felt 
this  quite  so  keenly  as  Ada — the  nearest  in 
age  and  hitherto  the  room-mate  and  almost  in 
separable  companion  of  the  sister  who  was 
leaving  them. 

It  was  the  morning  of  the  wedding  day ;  the 
ceremony  was  to  take  place  in  the  evening,  in 
the  parlor  of  Mr.  Keith's  house,  which  the  sis 
ters  were  busily  decorating  for  the  occasion  with 
spring  flowers  from  the  garden  and  the  woods. 

The  supply  was  not  sufficient,  and  the  little 
boys  were  sent  in  search  of  more ;  the  mother 
and  Celestia  Ann — who  still  lived  with  them, 
going  home  occasionally  for  a  few  weeks,  but 
always  returning  and  taking  up  her  duties 
there  with  renewed  satisfaction — were  deep  in 
the  mysteries  of  cake-making  and  kindred  arts ; 
so  when  the  door -bell  rang  Ada  answered  it. 

Standing  before  the  open  door  was  a  very 
pleasant-faced  young  man,  whose  dress  and 
general  appearance  seemed  to  bespeak  him  a 
clergyman.  He  lifted  his  hat  with  a  low  bow, 
his  face  lighting  up  with  a  smile  of  recognition. 

"Miss  Mildred?"  he  said  half  inquiringly, 
as  he  held  out  his  hand  in  cordial  greeting. 

"No,  sir,"  returned  Ada,  giving  him  her 


MILDRED  AND  ELSDs.  235 

hand,  but  with  a  slightly  puzzled  look ;  "  I  am 
Ada  Keith." 

"  Ah  1  one  of  the  little  ones  when  I  knew 
you — not  old  enough  to  remember  me,  I  fear. 
I  am  from  Lansdale,  your  old  Ohio  home." 

He  handed  her  a  card,  on  which  she  read  at 
a  glance,  "  Rev.  Francis  Osborne." 

"  Ah,  I  know  now  who  you  are !  I  have  a 
slight  remembrance  of  a  big  boy  of  that  name 
who  has  had  time  enough  to  grow  into  a  man," 
she  said  with  an  arch  smile  that  he  thought 
very  bewitching.  "Come  in,  Mr.  Osborne; 
they  will  all  be  glad  to  see  you." 

He  was  warmly  welcomed  and  hospitably 
entertained,  as  an  old-time  friend,  as  one  com 
ing  from  the  early  home  still  held  in  tender 
remembrance,  and  as  a  messenger  from  Aunt 
"Wealthy,  who  sent  by  him  a  handsome  bridal 
gift — a  beautiful  gold  brooch.  Quite  unex 
pected  ;  for  the  dear  old  lady  had  already  given 
generously  toward  the  house-furnishing. 

Zillah  was  greatly  pleased.  There  was  al 
ready  upon  a  side-table  in  the  sitting-room 
quite  an  array  of  handsome  presents  from  her 
near  relatives  and  friends — the  Dinsmore  cous 
ins  and  others — and  Aunt  Wealthy's  gift  was 
now  assigned  a  conspicuous  place  among  them. 

Mrs.  Keith's  wedding  dress  of  rich,  white 


236  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

silk,  her  bridal  veil  and  orange  blossoms,  had 
been  carefully  preserved,  and  finding  that  the 
dress  exactly  fitted  her,  Zillah  had  chosen  to 
be  married  in  it,  in  decided  preference  to  hav 
ing  a  new  one. 

It  was,  of  course,  made  in  very  old-fashioned 
style,  but  she  insisted  that  she  liked  it  all  the 
better  for  that,  and  no  one  who  saw  her  in  it 
could  deny  that  it  was  extremely  becoming. 

All  the  sisters  were  to  be  bridesmaids — in 
the  order  of  their  ages — and  all  to  wear  white 
tarlatan.  Rupert  would  be  first  groomsman ; 
Robert  Grange,  a  brother  of  Lu,  second ;  Cyril 
and  Don,  third  and  fourth. 

A  large  number  of  guests  were  invited  and  a 
handsome  entertainment  was  provided.  Their 
pastor,  Mr.  Lord,  had  received  due  notice  of 
the  coming  event,  and  promised  to  officiate. 

Seeing  him  leaving  the  parsonage  early  in 
the  afternoon,  his  mother  called  to  him,  asking 
where  he  was  going. 

"  For  a  walk  and  to  make  a  pastoral  call  or 
two,"  he  answered,  pausing  and  turning  toward 
her  with  an  air  of  affectionate  respect. 

"Well,  Joel,  don't  forget  to  come  home 
early  enough  to  dress  for  the  wedding.  I 
shall  be  ready  in  good  season,  and  hope  you 
will  too." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  237 

"  Oh,  certainly,  mother !  I'm  glad  you  re 
minded  me,  though,  for  I  really  had  forgotten 
it." 

"And  will  again,  I'm  very  much  afraid," 
she  murmured,  between  a  smile  and  a  sigh,  as 
she  watched  him  down  the  street. 

He  walked  on  and  on  in  meditative  mood, 
till  nearing  a  farm-house,  several  miles  from 
town,  he  was  waked  from  his  revery  by  the 
voice  of  its  owner  bidding  him  good-day  and 
asking  if  he  would  go  with  him  to  the  river 
for  an  afternoon's  fishing.  "  I  was  just  setting 
off  for  it,"  he  said.  "  I've  an  extra  pole  and 
line  here,  and  shall  be  glad  of  your  company." 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  Yail,  I  will :  it's  a  pastime 
I'm  somewhat  partial  to,"  the  minister  made 
answer. 

"  "Will,  "Will !"  the  farmer  called  to  his  son, 
"  bring  me  that  other  fishing  tackle,  and  tell 
your  mother  we'll  be  back — Mr.  Lord  and  I — 
for  tea  about  sundown." 

Seven  was  the  hour  set  for  the  wedding 
ceremony.  At  half-past  five  Mrs.  Lord's  tea- 
table  was  ready  and  waiting  for  the  return  of 
her  son.  But  six  o'clock  came,  and  there  was 
no  sign  of  his  approach. 

"  I'll  go  and  dress ;  perhaps  he'll  be  here  by 
that  time,"  she  said  to  herself,  turning  from 


238  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

,the  window  from  which  she  had  been  gazing 
with  constantly  increasing  anxiety  and  impa 
tience. 

She  made  a  hasty  toilet,  hoping  every  mo 
ment  to  hear  his  step  and  voice.  But  he  came 
not.  She  ate  her  supper,  watched  the  clock 
until  the  hands  pointed  to  five  minutes  of 
seven  ;  then,  filled  with  vexation  and  chagrin, 
donned  bonnet  and  shawl  and  set  off  in  haste 
for  Mr.  Keith's. 

That  gentleman  met  her  at  the  gate.  "  Ah, 
my  dear  madam,  I  am  glad  to  see  you !"  he 
said,  shaking  hands  with  her.  "  Walk  in.  But 
where  is  Mr.  Lord  ?  The  guests  are  all  assem 
bled — now  that  you  are  here — and  everything 
is  in  readiness  for  the  ceremony." 

"Indeed,  Mr.  Keith, I'm  terribly  mortified !" 
the  old  lady  burst  out,  flushing  like  a  girl ;  "  it's 
just  Joel's  absent-mindedness.  He  meant  to 
be  here  in  season,  I  know ;  but  he  walked  out 
some  hours  since,  and  where  he  is  now,  or 
when  he  will  remember  to  come  back,  I  don't 
know.  Please  don't  wait  for  him  another  min 
ute,  if  you  can  get  anybody  to  take  his  place." 

"  Fortunately  we  can,"  said  Mr.  Keith ;  "  so 
please,  my  dear  madam,  do  not  feel  disturbed 
about  that." 

He  led  her  into  the  house,  and  called  Ru- 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  239 

pert  and  Wallace  from  the  bridal  chamber, 
where  the  wedding  party  were  assembled. 
Then  Frank  Osborne  was  summoned  from  the 
parlor,  where,  with  the  other  guests,  he  sat 
waiting  to  witness  the  coming  ceremony.  There 
was  a  whispered  consultation ;  then  Wallace 
hastened  to  his  bride  again,  and  whispered  a 
word  to  her,  to  which  she  gave  a  pleased,  blush 
ing  assent,  as  she  rose  and  suffered  him  to  draw 
her  hand  within  his  arm. 

In  another  minute  or  two  bridegroom  and 
bride,  with  the  whole  train  of  attendants,  had 
taken  their  places  in  presence  of  the  assembled 
guests,  and  the  ceremony  began,  Frank  Os 
borne  officiating. 

He  did  not  seem  at  all  embarrassed  or  at  a 
loss  for  words ;  his  manner  was  solemn  and  ten 
der,  and  when  the  ceremony  was  over  every 
one  said,  "  How  beautiful  it  was !" 

While  the  bride  and  groom  were  receiving 
the  congratulations  of  relatives  and  friends, 
Mr.  Lord,  having  leisurely  finished  his  tea,  sat 
in  the  farm-house  porch,  quietly  conversing 
with  his  host.  But  a  sudden  thought  seemed 
to  strike  him,  and  he  started  up  in  evident 
perturbation. 

"What  is  it?"  asked  Mr.  Vail;  "anything 
gone  wrong  ?" 


240  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"Rather,"  groaned  the  minister,  glancing  at 
the  face  of  his  watch,  which  he  had  just  drawn 
from  its  fob.  "  I  was  to  have  married  Wallace 
Ormsby  and  one  of  Mr.  Keith's  daughters 
about  fifteen  minutes  ago." 

"  Better  get  back  to  town,  then,  as  fast  as 
you  can,"  returned  the  farmer,  laughing.  "  I'll 
harness  up  and  take  you." 

"Alas,  man,  it's  already  too  late!"  sighed 
the  minister. 

"  '  Better  late  than  never,'  though,  and  they 
may  be  waiting  for  you  still." 

"  Why,  yes ;  that's  possible,  to  be  sure !" 

"Where shall  I  take  you?"  Mr.  Yail  asked, 
half  an  hour  later,  as  they  drove  into  the  town. 

"  Drive  right  to  Mr.  Keith's,  if  you  please." 

"I  thought  maybe  you'd  want  to  fix  up  a 
bit,  seeing  it's  a  wedding  you're  going  to." 

"  Oh,  to  be  sure !  yes,  certainly !  I'm  glad 
you  reminded  me.  I'll  go  home  and  dress  first." 

"  And  while  you're  at  that  I'll  go  round  and 
tell  'em  you're  coming — just  to  keep  'era  from 
getting  quite  out  of  heart,  you  know." 

He  went,  and  by  the  time  Mr.  Lord's  toilet 
was  completed,  returned  with  the  information, 
delivered  in  tones  of  amusement  and  with  eyes 
twinkling  with  fun :  "  You've  lost  the  job,  sir ; 
somebody  else  has  tied  the  knot ;  but  they've 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  241 

sent  word  for  you  to  hurry  along  and  you'll  be 
in  time  for  the  refreshments.  So  cheer  up, 
for  that's  the  main  thing,  after  all,  ain't  it." 

"  Really  I — I'm  ashamed  to  go  now,"  stam 
mered  the  minister,  looking  much  mortified 
and  embarrassed. 

"Tut,  tut,  man!  better  treat  it  as  a  good 
joke,"  returned  the  farmer  gayly. 

"  I  believe  you're  right,"  said  Mr.  Lord,  and 
proceeded  to  take  the  advice. 

His  apologies  and  excuses  were  received 
with  good-humored  raillery,  mingled  with 
laughing  assurances  that  he  need  not  disturb 
himself;  as  things  had  turned  out  'twas  all 
very  well ;  it  seemed  a  pleasant  accident  that 
had  left  the  performing  of  the  ceremony  to  an 
old  and  valued  friend  of  the  bride  and  her 
family. 


CHAPTER  XYIII. 

"  A  lovely  being,  scarcely  formed  or  moulded, 
A  rose  with  all  its  sweetest  leaves  yet  folded." 

BTBOM. 

THE  next  morning  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ormsby 
started  on  their  bridal  trip — a  visit  to  his  rela 
tives,  to  Aunt  Wealthy  and  the  old  Ohio 
home. 

Their  departure  left  the  house  strangely 
empty  and  desolate,  to  the  consciousness  of 
mother  and  sisters  especially,  and  Frank  Os- 
borne's  advent  seemed  quite  a  boon.  An  old 
friend  who  could  tell  them  much  of  others 
left  behind  in  Ohio,  a  thorough  gentleman, 
well  educated,  refined  and  polished  in  manner, 
and  an  earnest,  devoted  Christian,  he  proved  a 
most  agreeable  companion. 

All  these  years  he  had  fancied  himself  in 
love  with  Mildred,  and  it  was  that,  more  than 
anything  else,  which  had  drawn  him  thither ; 
yet  the  first  sight  of  Ada  had  wholly  changed 
the  direction  of  his  inclination. 

He  had  thought  Mildred  charming  in. 
younger  days,  and  could  not  see  that  she  had 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

lost  in  attractiveness — the  years  seemed  rather 
to  have  added  to  her  loveliness ;  her  form  was 
more  finely  developed,  her  countenance  sweeter 
and  more  intellectual,  while  she  had  lost  none 
of  the  freshness  and  bloom  of  youth :  yet  he 
found  a  superior  fascination  about  Ada,  and 
being  of  an  ardent  temperament,  open  and 
frank  in  disposition,  his  manner  toward  her 
soon  made  this  apparent  to  the  older  members 
of  the  family. 

Mildred  was  perhaps  the  first  to  perceive  it, 
and  that  without  the  slightest  feeling  of  envy 
or  jealousy :  she  would  be  glad  if  Frank  proved 
to  be  one  who  could  fill  Ada's  heart ;  and  if  an 
objection  to  the  possibility  that  presented  itself 
arose  in  any  one's  mind,  it  was  merely  on  the 
score  of  unwillingness  to  part  with  another 
member  of  the  newly  broken  family  circle. 

They  had  urged  Frank  to  make  a  length 
ened  visit,  and  he  had  promised  to  remain  for 
some  days  or  a  week  or  two. 

He  had  been  but  recently  licensed  to  preach, 
and  was  yet  without  charge.  The  first  Sunday 
after  his  arrival  he  filled  Mr.  Lord's  pulpit, 
by  invitation,  greatly  to  the  delight  and  edi 
fication  of  his  hearers.  The  next  week  he 
preached  for  a  vacant  church  a  few  milea 
distant  from  Pleasant  Plains,  and  shortly  after 


544  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

'Consented  to  take  charge  of  it  for  the  next  six 
months. 

A  worldly-minded  man,  seeking  wealth  and 
fame,  would  have  deemed  it  a  most  uninviting 
field  of  labor ;  but  Frank  Osborne  was  one  of 
those  who  are  willing  to  bear  hardness  as  good 
soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  whose  aspiration 
is  to  win  souls  rather  than  earthly  riches  or 
fame.  Yet  the  thought  of  being  near  enough 
to  his  old  friends  for  frequent  intercourse 
may  have  had  its  influence  also. 

The  return  of  the  bride  and  groom  after  an 
absence  of  some  six  weeks  was  a  joyful  occa 
sion.  They  were  received  in  their  own  cottage 
home,  which  loving  hands  had  set  in  perfect 
order,  and  rendered  beautiful  and  delightful 
with  the  bloom  and  perfume  of  flowers. 
"When  the  tender,  loving  greetings  had  been 
exchanged  they  made  the  tour  of  the  house 
attended  by  every  member  of  the  family,  each 
one  anxious  to  witness  and  have  a  share  in 
their  pleasure. 

The  workers  had  anticipated,  as  the  reward 
•of  their  labors,  great  demonstrations  of  delight 
from  Zillah,  and  were  not  disappointed ;  she 
seemed  to  lack  words  to  properly  express  her 
admiration  of  the  effects  produced  or  her 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  345. 

appreciation  of  this  evidence  of  their  kindness- 
and  love. 

Nor  was  "Wallace  far  behind  in  bestowing  a 
like  meed  of  praise  and  thanks. 

The  welcoming  feast  had  been  prepared  and 
was  partaken  of  in  the  house  of  the  parents. 
After  that  Zillah  began  her  housekeeping,  en 
joying  it  exceedingly ;  for  she  was  no  novice 
at  the  business,  was  defthanded  and  quick  in 
her  motions,  had  her  mother  and  older  sister 
near  enough  to  be  consulted  at  any  time ;  and 
utensils,  furniture,  and  the  snug  cottage  itself 
were  all  so  new,  so  fresh  and  clean. 

Then  "Wallace  was  pleased  with  everything 
she  did,  and  the  work  of  a  family  of  two 
seemed  scarce  more  than  play  to  one  used  to 
the  numerous  household  on  the  other  side  of 
the  street. 

There  was  a  great  deal  of  running  back  and 
forth,  a  constant  interchange  of  good  offices. 
During  the  hours  that  business  kept  "Wallace 
at  the  office,  Zillah  and  Ada  were  almost  sure 
to  be  together  in  one  home  or  the  other. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  former  discovered 
that  Frank  Osborne  was  a  frequent  visitor  at 
her  father's,  and  began  to  suspect  what  was 
the  particular  attraction  that  drew  him  thither. 


246  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  I  was  not  at  all  displeased  at  the  time,  as 
things  turned  out,  that  Mr.  Lord  went  fishing 
on  rny  wedding  day  and  forgot  to  many  me, 
but  now  I  begin  to  feel  quite  grateful  to  him," 
she  said  teasingly  to  Ada  one  day  as  they  sat 
alone  together,  with  their  sewing,  in  her  own 
pretty  parlor. 

"  "Why  so  ?"  Ada  asked,  blushing  consciously 
in  spite  of  herself. 

"Because  in  after  years  it  will  seem  very 
fitting  that  my  brother-in-law  had  the  tying  of 
the  knot  between  Wallace  and  me." 

"  That  strikes  me  as  very  much  like  count 
ing  your  chickens  before  they  are  hatched," 
returned  Ada  demurely.  "  If  you  are  hinting 
at  me,  please  understand  that  I've  always 
meant  to  be  the  old-maid  daughter  to  stay  at 
home  and  take  care  of  the  dear  father  and 
mother." 

"  Oh,  yes,  but  folks  often  miss  their  voca 
tion.  However,  I  trust  you  will  not ;  and  I 
think  you  were  cut  out  for  a  minister's  wife. 
And  O  Ada  dear,"  she  went  on,  dropping  her 
work  to  put  her  arms  about  her  sister,  "  I  want 
you  to  know  the  bliss  of  wedded  love.  I  never 
was  so  happy  in  my  life  as  now.  And  I  do 
believe  Frank  is  almost  as  nice  as  Wallace,  or 
at  least  nicer  than  anybody  else  except  Wai- 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  247 

lace,"  she  corrected  herself  hastily,  and  with  a 
merry  laugh ;  "  so  don't  reject  him,  there's  a 
dear." 

*'  Not  until  he  asks,"  Ada  said  a  trifle  dis 
dainfully.  "  My  promises  can  go  no  further 
than  that  at  present.  I  have  an  idea  that  he 
was  formerly  one  of  Mildred's  admirers.  So 
let  him  try  for  her;  she  is  far  better  fitted 
than  I  for  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  the 
position." 

"  Now  don't  be  naughty  and  proud,"  Zillah 
said  gayly ;  "  you  may  as  well  take  Mildred's 
leavings  as  I,  and  I  can  assure  you  they  may 
be  very  nice  indeed.  -What  may  have  been  in 
the  past,"  she  added  more  gravely,  "I  do 
not  know,  but  very  sure  I  am  that  now  there 
is  no  fancy  on  either  side." 

"  A  letter  for  you,  Ada  !"  cried  Fan,  coming 
running  in  at  the  open  door. 

Ada  took  it  quietly  and  broke  the  seal. 

"Now  here's  an  offer  worth  having,"  she 
remarked  with  biting  sarcasm,  as  she  turned 
the  page  and  glanced  at  the  signature,  then 
held  it  so  that  Zillah  could  see  what  it  was. 
"  the  bald  eagle  is  still  in  search  of  a  mate." 

"I  told  you  so,"  was  Zillah's  laughing  re 
joinder. 

"  Lend  me  an  envelope,  will  you  ?"  Ada 


248  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

€aid,  rising  with  the  letter  in  her  hand,  a  look 
of  quiet,  half-scornful  determination  in  her 
face ;  "  and  he  shall  not  be  kept  long  waiting 
for  his  answer." 

"  What  shall  you  say  ?"  Zillah  asked  as  she 
brought  the  envelope,  pen,  and  ink. 

"  Nothing.  Silence  cannot  be  construed  to 
mean  consent  in  this  instance.  There,  Fan, 
please  return  it  to  the  office,"  as  she  sealed  the 
envelope  and  handed  it  to  the  child ;  the  letter 
inside,  Nicholas  Ransquattle's  address  on  the 
outside. 

The  needles  were  plied  in  silence  for  a  few 
moments  ;  then  Zillah  said,  with  a  little  amused 
laugh,  "  You  made  short  work  with  him." 

"  It  seems  to  be  the  way  of  the  family,"  re 
turned  Ada,  joining  in  the  laugh. 

""Well,  only  treat  Frank  as  differently  as 
possible — that  is,  with  the  greatest  favor — and 
I'll  forgive  you  for  this." 

Frank  was  too  wise  to  speak  hastily,  there 
fore  the  more  likely  to  win  at  the  last. 

One  day  in  the  ensuing  autumn  Mrs.  Keith 
received  a  letter  from  her  cousin  Horace  Dins- 
more,  saying  that  he  was  travelling  with  his 
little  daughter  in  the  region  of  the  Great  Lakes, 
and  could  not  persuade  himself  to  pass  so  near 
Pleasant  Plains  without  paying  her  a  visit: 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  349 

they  might  be  expected  in  a  day  or  two  after 
the  receipt  of  this  communication. 

This  news  was  received  with  great  delight 
by  the  entire  family.  Mildred's  heart  bounded 
at  the  thought  of  again  clasping  little  Elsie  in 
her  arms ;  for  through  all  these  years  of  sepa 
ration  the  little  fair  one  had  been  cherished  in 
her  very  heart  of  hearts. 

Every  preparation  was  at  once  set  on  foot 
for  entertaining  the  coming  guests  in  the  most 
hospitable  manner. 

There  had  been  an  occasional  interchange  of 
letters  which  had  kept  each  of  the  two  families 
informed  of  any  event  of  unusual  importance 
occurring  in  the  other.  Horace  had  written 
his  cousin  Marcia  on  his  return  from  Europe 
two  years  and  a  half  before  this,  again  upon 
his  recovery  from  serious  illness  a  year  later, 
and  several  times  since.  In  one  of  his  late 
letters  he  had  spoken  very  feelingly  of  his 
child's  recovery  from  an  illness  that  had  nearly 
cost  her  life,  expressing  his  gratitude  to  God 
for  her  restoration  to  health,  and  that  the  trial 
had  been  blessed  to  himself  in  leading  him  to 
Christ. 

Mrs.  Keith  had  loved  him  from  his  early 
childhood  with  a  sisterly  affection,  and  now 
there  was  a  new  tie  between  them ;  for  they 


250  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

were  disciples  of  the  same  Master,  servants  of 
the  same  Lord.  And  it  was  in  answer  to  long, 
continued,  fervent  supplication  on  her  part 
that  this  priceless  blessing  had  come  to  him. 
What  wonder  that  her  heart  bounded  at  the 
thought  of  soon  seeing  him  and  little  Elsie,. 
whom  she  was  ready  to  love  almost  as  she 
loved  her  own  offspring,  because  she  was 
Horace's  child,  and  because  of  all  that  Mildred 
had  said  of  her  loveliness  of  character  and  per 
son. 

The  letter  telling  of  his  conversion  had 
brought  a  double  delight  to  both  Mildred  and 
her  mother,  in  the  joy  a  Christian  must  ever 
feel  in  the  salvation  of  a  soul,  the  consecration, 
of  another  heart  and  life  to  the  service  of 
Christ,  and  in  the  assurance  that  the  darling 
Elsie  was  no  longer  left  to  an  unsatisfied 
hunger  for  parental  love ;  this  the  tone  of  his 
letter  made  very  evident ;  his  heart  seemed 
overflowing  with  the  tenderest  fatherly  affec 
tion  ;  and  indeed  he  said  plainly  that  her 
death  would  have  been  worse  to  him  than  the 
loss  of  everything  else  he  possessed. 

But  he  did  not  go  into  particulars  in  regard 
to  the  nature  or  exciting  cause  of  her  illness. 

On  the  deck  of  a  steamer  rapidly  ploughing 
her  way  down  Lake  Michigan,  sat  a  gentleman 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  251 

•with  a  little  girl  on  his  knee.  His  arm  encir 
cled  her  waist,  hers  was  about  his  neck.  He 
was  a  very  handsome  man,  apparently  consid 
erably  under  thirty  years  of  age;  hardly  old 
enough,  a  stranger  would  judge,  to  be  the 
father  of  the  bewitchingly  beautiful  child  he 
held,  though  there  seemed  a  world  of  fatherly 
affection  in  the  clasp  of  his  arm  and  the  ten 
derness  of  his  gaze  into  the  sweet  face  now 
resting  on  his  shoulder,  while  the  soft  brown 
eyes  looked  out  dreamily  over  the  water,  now 
lifted  to  his  with  an  expression  of  confiding 
filial  love  and  reverence. 

"  Papa,  I  am  having  a  delightful  time,"  she 
said,  softly  stroking  his  face  and  beard  with 
her  small  white  hand. 

"  I  am  very  glad,  my  darling,  that  you  enjoy 
it  so  much,  and  I  trust  it  is  doing  you  good/ 
he  answered. 

"  Yes,  papa,  but  I  don't  need  it ;  I'm  as 
well  as  can  be  now." 

"Free  from  disease,  but  not  yet  quite  so 
strong  as  papa  would  like  to  see  you,"  he  said, 
with  a  smile  and  a  tender  caress. 

"  Shall  we  be  long  on  this  boat,  papa  ?" 

"Until  some  time  to-morrow  morning, 
when,  if  all  goes  well,  we  expect  to  land  at 
Michigan  City,  where  we  will  take  the  stage 


252  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

for  Pleasant  Plains,  the  home  of  our  cousins 
the  Keiths.  Do  you  remember  your  Cousin 
Mildred?" 

"  A  very  little,  papa ;  I  don't  remember  her 
looks,  except  that  they  were  pleasant  to  me 
when  she  used  to  take  me  on  her  lap  and  hug 
and  kiss  me." 

"  Your  grandpa  wrote  me  that  she  was  very 
kind  to  you.  She  is  the  only  one  of  the  family 
YOU  have  ever  met." 

"  Please  tell  me  about  the  rest,  papa.  Are 
Cousin  Milly's  father  and  mother  my  uncle 
^nd  aunt  ?" 

"You  may  say  Uncle  Stuart  and  Aunt 
Marcia  to  them,  though  they  are  really  your 
Cousins.  Well,  what  is  it  ?"  seeing  a  doubtful, 
*roubled  look  in  the  eyes  lifted  to  his. 

"  Please  papa,  don't  be  vexed  with  me,"  she 
murmured,  dropping  her  eyes  and  blushing 
deeply,  "but  would  it — be  quite — quite  true 
and  right  to  call  them  so  when  they  are  not 
really?" 

He  drew  her  closer  and  softly  kissing  the 
glowing  cheek,  "  I  should  prefer  to  have  you 
call  them  aunt  and  uncle,"  he  said,  "  and  I  can 
not  see  anything  wrong  or  untrue  in  doing  so ; 
but  if  it  is  a  question  of  conscience  with  you, 
my  darling,  I  shall  not  insist." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  Thank  you,  dear  papa,"  she  said,  looking 
up  gratefully  and  drawing  a  long  sigh  of  relief ; 
"  but  I  want  to  do  as  you  wish ;  please  tell  me 
why  you  do  not  think  it  wrong." 

"They  may  adopt  you  as  their  niece,  you 
them  as  your  uncle  and  aunt,"  he  answered, 
smiling  down  at  the  grave,  earnest  little  face. 

"What  a  nice  idea,  papa!"  she  exclaimed 
with  a  low,  musical  laugh,  her  face  growing 
bright  and  glad ;  "  that  makes  it  all  right,  I 
think.  I  knew  about  adopted  children  and 
adopted  parents,  but  I  didn't  think  of  any 
other  adopted  relations." 

"  But  do  you  not  see  that  that  must  follow 
as  a  matter  of  course  ?" 

A  middle-aged  colored  woman  had  drawn 
near  carrying  a  light  shawl.  "  De  air  gettin' 
little  bit  cool,  I  tink,  massa,"  she  remarked,  in 
a  respectful  tone.  "  I'se  'f raid  my  chile  cotch 
cold." 

"  Quite  right,  Aunt  Chloe,"  he  returned, 
taking  the  shawl  from  her  and  wrapping  it 
carefully  about  the  little  girl. 

But  he  had  scarcely  done  so  when  a  sudden 
storm  of  wind  came  sweeping  down  upon  the 
lake,  from  the  northwest,  and  drove  them  into 
the  cabin. 

There  were  other  passengers,  but  the  saloon 


254  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

was  not  crowded,  and  for  a  time  proved  a 
pleasant  enough  retreat.  Supper  was  served 
presently  and  partaken  of  in  tolerable  comfort, 
though  the  lake  was  growing  rough,  and  the 
vessel  rolling  and  pitching  in  a  way  that  made 
it  a  little  difficult  to  keep  the  dishes  on  the 
table  and  eat  and  drink  without  accident.  But, 
as  they  were  not  supposed  to  be  in  danger,  the 
little  mishaps  merely  gave  occasion  for  mirth, 
and  pleasantry. 

But  ere  long  the  storm  increased  in  violence^ 
the  wind  blowing  a  gale,  accompanied  with 
thunder,  lightning,  and  torrents  of  rain.  The 
faces  of  men  and  women  grew  pale  and 
anxious,  conversation  had  almost  ceased,  and 
scarce  a  sound  was  heard  but  the  war  of  the 
elements  mingled  with  the  heavy  tread  of  the 
sailors  and  the  hoarse  commands  of  the  captain 
and  mate. 

The  little  girl,  seated  on  a  sofa  by  her 
father's  side,  crept  closer  to  him,  with  a 
whispered,  "  Papa,  is  there  any  danger  ?" 

"  I'm  afraid  there  is,  my  darling,"  he  said, 
putting  his  arm  about  her  and  drawing  her 
closer  still ;  "  but  we  will  trust  in  Him  who 
holds  the  winds  and  the  waters  in  the  hollow 
of  his  hand.  I  do  not  need  to  remind  my 
little  Elsie  that  no  real  evil  can  befall  us  if 
we  are  his  children." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  255 

"  No,  papa ;  and  oh,  how  sweet  it  is  to  know- 
that." 

"  It  is  your  bedtime,"  he  said,  glancing  at 
his  watch. 

"  But  you  will  not  send  me  away  from  you 
to-night,  dear  papa?"  and  she  looked  plead 
ingly  into  his  face. 

"  No,  my  precious  child !  no,  indeed !  not  for 
all  I  am  worth  would  I  let  you  out  of  my  sight 
in  this  storm,  but  I  will  go  with  you  to  your 
estate-room." 

He  half  led,  half  carried  her,  for  the  vessel 
was  now  plunging  so  madly  through  the 
water,  with  such  rolls  and  lurches,  that  it  was 
no  easy  matter  for  a  landsman  to  keep  his  feet. 

They  found  Aunt  Chloe  in  the  state-room 
waiting  to  disrobe  her  nursling  and  prepare 
her  for  her  night's  rest ;  but  Mr.  Dinsmore 
dismissed  her,  saying  Elsie  should  not  be 
undressed,  as  there  was  no  knowing  what 
might  occur  before  morning. 

"Don't  you  undress,  either,  Aunt  Chloe," 
he  added,  as  she  kissed  the  child  good-night 
and  turned  to  go.  "  Lie  down  in  your  berth 
and  sleep  if  you  can ;  but  so  that  you  will  be 
ready  to  leave  it  the  instant  you  are  called. 
Give  John  the  same  direction  from  me,  and 
tell  him  to  keep  near  the  door  «f  my  state- 


256  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Left  alone  with  his  little  girl,  he  knelt  with 
her  by  his  side,  his  arm  supporting  her  while 
he  commended  both  her  and  himself,  as  well 
as  the  others  on  the  vessel,  and  dear  ones  far 
away,  to  the  protecting  care  of  Him  who 
neither  slumbers  nor  sleeps.  Then  lifting  the 
child  in  his  arms  he  held  her  to  his  heart  for 
a  moment,  caressing  her  with  exceeding  ten 
derness. 

"  My  darling,  you  shall  lie  in  your  father's 
arms  to-night,"  he  said,  as  he  laid  her  in  the 
lower  berth  and  stretched  himself  by  her  side. 

"  That  will  be  so  nice,"  she  said,  creeping- 
close  and  laying  her  cheek  to  his ;  "it  would 
make  me  glad  of  the  storm,  if  I  were  quite, 
quite  sure  that  the  boat  will  get  safe  into  port. 
But  O  papa !  if  it  shouldn't  I  am  so  glad  that 
you  are  not  here  without  me." 

"  Why,  my  pet  ?" 

"Because  if  you — if  anything  happens  to 
you,  I  want  to  be  with  you  and  share  it.  Papa, 
papa,  don't  try  to  save  me  if  you  cannot  be 
saved  too,  for  I  couldn't  bear  to  live  without 
you  !"  she  concluded  with  a  low  cry  of  mingled 
grief,  terror,  and  entreaty,  as  she  clung  about 
his  neck,  dropping  tears  on  his  face. 

"  God  grant  we  may  not  be  parted,"  he 
returned,  holding  her  close.  "  We  will  cling 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  257 

together  through  whatever  comes.  But  now 
dearest,  try  to  go  to  sleep,  fearing  nothing,  for 
you  are  not  only  in  the  arms  of  your  earthly 
father,  but  the  Everlasting  Arms  are  under 
neath  and  around  both  you  and  me.  We  have 
asked  our  heavenly  Father  to  take  care  of  us, 
and  we  know  that  he  is  the  hearer  and  answerer 
of  prayer." 

"  And  I'm  sure  Miss  Rose  prays  for  us  too, 
papa,"  she  whispered,  "  she  loves  us  so  dearly ; 
and  I  do  believe  God  will  spare  us  to  her. 
But  if  he  does  not  see  best  to  do  that,  he  will 
take  us  to  himself,  and  O  dear,  dear  papa !  I 
think  it  would  be  very  sweet  for  you  and  me 
to  go  to  heaven  together  !" 

"  Very  sweet  indeed,  my  precious  one !  very 
bitter  for  either  to  be  left  here  bereft  of  the 
other.  But  let  us  not  anticipate  evil.  Still," 
he  added  after  a  moment's  thought,  "  it  is  right 
and  wise  to  be  prepared  for  any  event ;  so,  dear 
one,  should  I  be  lost  and  you  saved,  tell  Mr. 
Travilla  I  gave  you  to  him  ;  that  I  want  him 
to  adopt  you  as  his  own.  I  know  he  will 
esteem  it  the  greatest  kindness  I  could  possibly 
have  done  him,  and  will  be  to  you  a  father 
tender,  loving,  and  true  ;  a  better  one  than  I 
have  been."  His  tones  grew  husky  and  trem 
ulous. 


258  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"Papa,  papa,  don't!"  she  cried,  bursting 
into  sobs  and  tears,  and  clinging  to  him  with 
an  almost  deathlike  grasp.  "  I  can't  bear  it  1 
I  don't  want  to  live  without  you !  I  won't !  I 
will  drown  too,  if  you  do !" 

"  Hush,  hush,  darling !  do  not  talk  so ;  that 
would  not  be  right ;  we  must  never  throw 
away  our  lives  unless  in  trying  to  save  others," 
he  said,  soothing  her  with  the  tenderest 
caresses.  "But  there,  I  didn't  mean  to  distress 
you  so ;  and  something  seems  to  tell  me  we 
shall  both  be  saved.  Let  me  wipe  away  your 
tears.  There,  do  not  cry  any  more ;  give  papa 
another  kiss,  then  lay  your  head  down  upon 
his  breast  and  go  to  sleep." 

She  obeyed  ;  he  clasped  her  close  with  om 
arm,  while  the  other  hand  was  passed  caress 
ingly  again  and  again  over  her  hair  and  cheek. 
Presently  her  quietude  and  regular  breathing 
told  him  that  she  slept. 

He  lay  very  still  that  her  slumbers  might 
not  be  disturbed,  but  thought  was  busy  in  hie 
brain,  thought  of  the  past,  the  present,  the 
future ;  of  the  fair  young  girl  away  in  a 
distant  city,  expecting  soon  to  become  his 
bride ;  of  the  beloved  child  sleeping  on  his 
breast ;  of  the  father  who  regarded  him  with 
such  pride  and  affection  as  his  first-born,  "his 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  359 

might  and  the  beginning  of  his  strength ;"  how 
would  his  death  affect  them  in  case  he  were 
lost  this  night  ?  Ah,  Rose  might  console  her 
self  with  another  lover ;  his  father  had  other 
sons ;  but  Elsie  ?  ah,  he  was  sure  his  place  in 
her  heart  could  never  be  filled ;  Travilla  would 
be  kind  and  tender,  but — as  she  herself  had  once 
said — he  was  not  her  own  father  and  could 
never  be,  even  if  he  gave  her  to  him.  What 
a  precious,  loving  child  she  was  !  how  deep  and 
strong  her  filial  affection !  she  seemed  to  have 
no  memory  for  past  severity  on  his  part  (ah, 
what  would  he  not  give  to  be  able  to  blot  it 
from  his  own  remembrance,  or  rather  that  it 
had  never  been !),  but  to  dwell  with  delight 
upon  every  act,  word,  and  look  of  love  he  had 
ever  bestowed  upon  her.  Ah,  the  bitterness  of 
death,  should  it  come,  would  be  the  parting 
from  her;  the  leaving  her  behind  to  meet 
life's  dangers  and  trials  bereft  of  his  protect 
ing  love  and  care. 

But  insensibly  waking  thought  merged  into 
dreams ;  then  his  senses  were  wrapped  in  pro- 
founder  slumber,  and  at  length  he  awoke  to 
find  that  the  storm  had  passed,  the  sun  arisen, 
and  the  vessel  was  nearing  port. 


CHAPTEE  XIX. 

"  The  angels  sang  in  heaven  when  she  was  born." 

LONQFKLLOTT. 

"  THANK  God,  the  danger  is  past !"  came  in 
a  low- breathed  exclamation  from  Mr.  Dins- 
more's  lips.  "Ah,  my  darling,  did  I  wake 
you?"  as  he  perceived  the  soft  brown  eyes  of 
his  little  daughter  gazing  lovingly  into  his. 

"  No,  papa  dear,  I  have  been  awake  a  good 
while,  but  have  not  dared  to  move  for  fear  of 
disturbing  you,"  she  said,  lifting  her  head 
from  his  breast  to  put  her  arms  about  his  neck, 
and  kissing  him  again  and  again. 

"  Did  you  sleep  well,  daughter  ?"  he  asked, 
fondly  stroking  her  hair  and  returning  her 
loving  caresses. 

"Yes,  papa,  I  don't  believe  I  moved  once 
after  we  stopped  talking  last  night.  I  hope 
you  too  have  had  a  good  sleep  ?" 

"Yes,  and  feel  greatly  refreshed.  Our 
heavenly  Father  has  been  very  good  to  us. 
Let  us  kneel  down  and  thank  him  for  the 
light  of  this  new  day  and  for  our  spared 
lives." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  261 

They  landed  in  safety,  breakfasted  at  a  hotel, 
and  took  the  stage  for  Pleasant  Plains ;  glad 
to  find  they  had  it  to  themselves — they  and 
their  two  servants. 

It  was  a  lovely  October  day ;  the  roads  were 
good,  the  woods  gay  with  autumn  tints,  the 
sun  shone  brightly  after  the  rain,  and  the  air 
was  sweet,  pure,  and  invigorating. 

Elsie  sat  by  her  father's  side  gay  and  happy 
as  a  bird — chatting,  singing,  laughing ;  plying 
him  with  intelligent  questions  about  every 
thing  she  saw  that  was  new  and  strange,  and 
about  the  cousins  whom  they  were  going  to 
visit ;  he  answering  her  with  a  patient  kindness 
that  never  wearied. 

He  had  neglected  her  in  her  babyhood,  and 
once — only  a  year  ago — his  tyrannical  severity 
had  brought  her  to  the  borders  of  the  grave : 
he  could  not  forget  it ;  he  felt  that  he  could 
never  fully  atone  to  her  for  it  by  any  amount 
of  the  tenderest  love  and  care ;  but  she  should 
have  all  he  could  lavish  upon  her. 

A  joyous  welcome  awaited  them  on  thei* 
arrival.  Mrs.  Keith  embraced  her  cousin  with 
sisterly,  his  child  with  motherly  affection,  and 
Mildred  wept  for  joy  as  she  folded  Elsie  to  hei 
heart. 

Indeed  Elsie's  beauty,   her    sweet,   loving 


262  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

looks  and  smiles  as  she  accepted  and  returned 
their  greetings,  won  all  hearts ;  while  all  pres 
ently  esteemed  "  Cousin  Horace"  far  more 
agreeable  and  lovable  than  he  had  been  on  his 
former  visits ;  there  was  less  of  pride  and 
hauteur  about  him,  more  of  gentleness  and 
thought  for  the  comfort  and  happiness  of 
others. 

Mildred  and  her  mother  were  especially 
delighted  with  the  ardent  affection  evidently 
subsisting  between  him  and  his  little  girl; 
neither  seemed  willing  to  lose  sight  of  the 
other  for  a  single  hour;  she  hovered  about 
him,  being  almost  always  close  at  his  side  or 
on  his  knee,  he  caressing  her  now  and  then, 
half  unconsciously,  as  he  talked,  or  his  hand 
toying  with  her  curls. 

Mrs.  Keith  remarked  upon  it  to  him  as  they 
sat  alone  together  the  day  after  his  arrival, 
expressing  her  heartfelt  joy  in  beholding  it. 

Elsie  had  just  left  the  room  with  Annis,  her 
father's  eyes  following  her  as  she  went,  with 
the  wonted  expression  of  parental  pride  and 
tenderness. 

"  Yes,"  he  said  with  a  sigh,  "  she  is  the  very 
light  of  my  eyes.  Ah,  Marcia,  I  shall  never 
cease  to  regret  not  having  followed  your  advice 
on  my  last  visit,  by  taking  immediate  posses- 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  263 

sion  of  my  child !  I  have  lost  by  that  mistake 
eight  years  of  the  joy  of  fatherhood  to  the 
sweetest  child  ever  parent  had.  And  yet  it 
has,  perhaps,  been  better  for  her,  for  I  should 
have  made  her  very  worldly-minded  instead  of 
the  sweet  little  Christian  I  found  her." 

"  You  have  at  all  events  escaped  the  loss  I 
feared  for  you,"  Mrs.  Keith  said,  with  a  sym 
pathizing  smile. 

"  Of  her  filial  love  and  obedience  ?  Yes,  she 
could  not  be  more  dutiful  or  affectionate  than 
she  is.  And  yet  there  was  at  one  time  a  ter 
rible  struggle  between  us;  but  for  which,  I 
now  see,  that  I  alone  was  to  blame.  It  was 
my  severity,  my  determination  to  enforce 
obedience  to  commands  that  conflicted  with 
the  dictates  of  her  enlightened  conscience, 
that  caused  the  almost  mortal  illness  of  which 
I  wrote  you.  Yes,  a  year  ago  I  had  nearly 
been  written  childless.  At  one  time  I  thought 
she  was  gone,  and  never,  never  can  I  forget 
the  unutterable  anguish  of  that  hour."  His 
voice  had  grown  husky,  his  features  worked 
with  emotion,  and  tears  filled  his  eyes. 

But  recovering  himself  he  went  on  to  give 
her  a  somewhat  detailed  account  of  the  whole 
affair,  as  it  is  to  be  found  in  the  Elsie  books ; 


264  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

she  listening  to  the  recital  with  intense,  often 
tearful  interest. 

The  little  girls  were  in  Mildred's  room 
dressing  dolls  and  chatting  together  the  while, 
Mildred,  busied  with  some  sewing,  overhearing 
the  most  of  their  talk  with  both  interest  and 
amusement.  Elsie  was  describing  the  Oaks 
and  her  home-life  there,  in  reply  to  inquiries 
from  Annis. 

"  What  a  lovely  place  it  must  be !  and  how 
delightful  to  have  a  pony  of  your  own  and 
ride  it  every  day !"  exclaimed  the  latter. 

"  Yes,  it's  very  nice ;  but  the  best  of  all,  I 
think,  is  living  in  papa's  house  with  him.  You 
know  we  used  to  live  at  Roselands,  with 
Grandpa  Dinsmore  and  the  rest." 

"  But  I  should  think  you'd  often  feel  lone 
some  in  that  big  house  with  nobody  but  Cou 
sin  Horace  and  the  servants.  Don't  you  wish 
you  had  a  mother  like  ours  and  brothers  and 
sisters  ?" 

A  bright,  eager,  joyous  look  came  into  El 
sie's  face  at  that  question ;  she  opened  her  lips 
as  if  to  speak,  then  closed  them  again.  "  Oh, 
wait  a  minute  till  I  ask  papa  something !"  she 
said,  laying  down  the  doll  she  had  in  her 
hands,  and  running  from  the  room. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  265 

Mr.  Dinsmore  was  just  finishing  his  sad 
story  of  her  illness  as  the  little  girl  caine  in. 
She  heard  his  last,  self-reproachful  sentence, 
and  coming  softly  to  his  side,  put  her  arm 
about  his  neck  and  her  lips  to  his  cheek. 
"  Dear,  dear  papa,  I  love  you  so  much !"  she 
whispered.  "  Aunt  Marcia,"  turning  to  Mrs. 
Keith,  "  I  think  I  have  the  best,  kindest  father 
in  the  world.  He  was  so,  so  good  to  me  when 
I  was  sick,  and  he  always  is.  To  be  sure,  he 
punishes  me  when  I'm  naughty ;  but  that's 
being  good  to  me,  isn't  it  ?" 

"  I  think  so,"  Mrs.  Keith  answered  with  a 
smile ;  then  excused  herself  and  left  the  room 
for  a  moment. 

"  Papa,"  said  Elsie,  taking  possession  of  his 
knee,  "may  I  tell  my  cousins  about  Miss 
Eose?" 

"  I  never  forbade  you  to  speak  of  her,  did 
I  ?"  he  returned,  in  a  playful  tone,  smiling  on 
her  and  stroking  her  hair  with  caressing  hand. 

"  No,  sir ;  but  I  would  like  to  tell  them  that 
— that  she  is  going  to  be  my  mamma  soon ;  if 
I  may — if  you  would  like  me  to  ?" 

"  You  may  tell  them  ;  I  do  not  object ;  but 
it  was  quite  right  to  ask  permission  first,"  he 
answered;  and  with  a  joyful  "Thank  you, 
sir,"  she  skipped  away. 


266  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

When  Mrs.  Keith  rejoined  him  he  had 
another  story  for  her  ear — a  brighter,  cheerier 
one  than  the  last ;  the  same  that  Elsie  was 
gleefully  rehearsing  to  her  cousins  up-stairs. 

"  Miss  Rose  was  so  nice,  so  good,  so  kind," 
she  had  been  saying. 

"  Is  she  pretty  too  ?"  asked  Annis. 

"  Yes,  but  not  nearly  so  beautiful  as  my  own 
mamma,"  Elsie  said,  drawing  from  the  bosom 
of  her  dress  a  lovely  miniature  set  in  gold  and 
precious  stones. 

Annis  exclaimed  at  the  extreme  beauty  of 
both  the  face  and  its  setting,  while  Mildred 
gazed  upon  the  former  with  eyes  full  of  a 
mournful  tenderness. 

"  It's  almost  prettier  than  your  gold  watch," 
Annis  said,  "  though  I  thought  that  was  as 
beautiful  as  anything  could  be.  Your  rings 
too." 

"  They  were  presents  from  papa  and  Mr. 
Travilla,"  said  Elsie,  glancing  down  at  them,. 
"  and  the  watch  was  mamma's.  Papa  had  it 
done  up  for  me  this  summer,  and  gave  me  the 
chain  with  it." 

"  Such  a  beauty  as  it  is,  too !  Die?  you  ever 
go  to  school,  Elsie  ?" 

"  No,  we  had  a  governess  at  Eoselande ;  now 
papa  teaches  me  hiraeelf." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  267 

"  Do  you  like  that  ?" 

"  Yes,  indeed !  He  explains  everything  so 
nicely  and  makes  my  lessons  so  interesting. 
He  often  tells  me  a  nice  story  to  illustrate,  and 
is  never  satisfied  till  I  understand  every  word 
of  my  tasks." 

"  There !"  cried  Annis  looking  out  of  the 
window,  "  Zillah  is  motioning  for  me  to  come 
over.  "Will  you  come  with  me,  Elsie?" 

"  If  papa  gives  permission.  I'll  run  and  ask 
him." 

"  "Why,  can't  you  go  across  the  street  with 
out  asking  leave?"  exclaimed  Annis  in  sur 
prise. 

"  No,  I'm  not  allowed  to  go  anywhere  with 
out  leave." 

"  Now,  that's  queer !  Your  papa  pets  you 
so  that  I  really  supposed  you  could  do  exactly 
as  you  pleased." 

"How  Enna  would  laugh  to  hear  you  say 
that,"  returned  Elsie,  laughing  herself.  "  She 
thinks  papa  is  the  strictest  person  she  ever 
saw,  and  says  she  wouldn't  be  ruled  as  I  am 
for  any  money." 

"  How  do  you  mean  ?  He  seems  so  fond  of 
you,  and  you  of  him  too." 

"Yes,  indeed,  we're  ever  so  fond  of  each 
other ;  but  papa  will  always  be  obeyed  the  in- 


2Q8  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

stant  he  speaks,  and  without  any  teasing,  fret 
ting,  crying,  or  sour  looks,  and  he  is  sure  to 
punish  the  slightest  act  of  disobedience,  never 
taking  forgetfulness  of  his  orders  as  any  ex 
cuse." 

"  Then  he  is  strict,"  remarked  Annis,  shrug 
ging  her  shoulders. 

The  two  went  down-stairs  together,  Elsie 
asked  and  received  the  desired  permission,  and 
they  hastened  to  inquire  what  Zillah  wanted. 

"  I've  been  baking  some  jumbles,"  she  said. 
"  I  know  Annis  is  very  fond  of  them  hot  from 
the  oven,  and  I  hope  you  are  too,  Elsie.  And 
here  is  a  paper  of  candy  Wallace  bought  last 
night.  There,  sit  down  and  help  yourselves." 

Elsie  looked  a  little  wishfully  at  the  offered 
dainties,  but  politely  declined  them.  Both 
Zillah  and  Annis  urged  her  to  partake,  the 
latter  adding,  "  I'm  sure  you  can't  help  liking 
them,  for  nobody  makes  better  jumbles  than 
Zillah." 

"  They  look  very  tempting,"  Elsie  answered, 
"and  I  have  no  doubt  are  very  nice,  but  I 
think  they  are  richer  than  papa  would  ap 
prove;  and  besides  he  does  not  allow  me  to 
eat  between  meals,  unless  it  is  some  very 
simple  thing  that  I  will  eat  only  if  quite  hun- 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  269 

"  But  the  candy ;  you  can  eat  some  of  that, 
can't  you?" 

"  No,  Cousin  Zillah,  I  must  never  eat  that 
unless  papa  gives  it  to  me  himself.  Once  in  a 
long  while  he  gives  me  a  very  little." 

"  Dear  me !  I  begin  to  almost  think  Enna's 
right,"  Annis  said  laughingly. 

"  Oh,  no,  no !"  cried  Elsie,  reddening  and 
the  tears  starting  to  her  eyes ;  "  papa  is  very, 
very  kind  to  me;  he  forbids  only  what  he 
thinks  injurious  to  my  health." 

"  Certainly,"  said  Zillah,  "  and  it  shows  that 
he  is  a  good  father;  and  you  are  a  good 
daughter  to  be  so  ready  to  stand  up  for  him 
and  so  obedient." 

She  went  out  of  the  room,  leaving  the  little 
girls  alone  for  a  short  time. 

"  Annis,  here  is  a  note  I  want  "Wallace  to 
have  at  once,"  she  said,  coming  back.  "  Will 
you  take  it  to  the  office  for  me  ?" 

"  Yes,  if  Elsie  will  go  with  me?" 

"I  will  go  and  ask  papa  if  I  may,"  Elsie 
said,  tying  on  her  hat.  "  Ah,  there  he  is  now 
coming  out  of  the  gate  with  Aunt  Marcia." 

She  ran  to  him  and  preferred  her  request, 
Annis  following  close  behind. 

"Yes,"  he  said;  "Aunt  Marcia  and  I  are 
going  to  walk  down  the  street,  and  you  may 


270  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

run  on  before  with  Annis.   I  shall  keep  you  in 
sight." 

"  Are  you  to  wait  for  an  answer,  Annis  ?" 
asked  her  mother. 

"  No,  ma'am." 

"  Then  you  and  Elsie  can  join  us  as  soon  as 
you  have  handed  Wallace  the  note.  I  am 
going  to  show  Cousin  Horace  a  part  of  the 
town  he  hasn't  seen  yet.  Run  on  ahead,  and 
we  will  meet  you  at  the  office  door  as  you 
come  out." 

Eager  for  the  walk  with  their  parents,  the 
little  girls  made  haste  to  obey. 

"  There !  my  shoe-string  is  untied,"  cried 
Annis,  suddenly  stopping  short  within  a  few 
yards  of  their  destination.  "Here,  Elsie, 
won't  you  run  in  with  the  note  while  I'm 
tying  it  ?" 

Elsie  obligingly  complied. 

The  door  stood  open,  and  stepping  in,  she 
caught  sight  of  a  strangely  uncouth  figure: 
that  of  a  man,  coatless  and  hatless,  wearing 
green  goggles,  a  red  flannel  shirt  with  a  white 
bosom  tied  on  over  it,  and  sitting  sidewise  in 
Mr.  Keith's  office  chair,  with  his  legs  over  the 
arm,  dangling  in  air ;  a  full  set  of  false  teeth 
twirling  about  in  his  fingers,  while  he  gave 
vent  to  the  most  dismal  sighs  and  groans. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  271 

One  sweeping  glance  showed  the  child  that 
this  was  the  only  occupant  of  the  room,  and 
springing  back  in  terror,  she  turned  and  fled, 
flying  with  swift  feet  to  the  shelter  of  her 
father's  arms. 

He  was  not  far  away,  and  in  a  moment  she 
was  clinging  to  him,  pale  and  almost  speech 
less  with  fright. 

"  My  darling,  what  is  it  ?"  he  asked,  stoop 
ing  to  take  her  in  his  arms.  "  You  are  trem 
bling  like  a  leaf.  What  has  alarmed  you  so  ?" 

"  Papa,  papa,"  she  gasped,  "  there's  a  crazy 
man  in  Uncle  Stuart's  office." 

"  Never  mind,  he  shall  not  hurt  you,  daugh 
ter,"  Mr.  Dinsmore  answered  in  soothing 
tones. 

Mrs.  Keith  and  Annis  were  looking  on  and 
listening  in  surprise  and  bewilderment ;  then 
the  former,  seeing  a  tall  form  issuing  from  the 
•office  door,  a  coat  over  one  arm,  a  hat  in  that 
hand,  while  the  other  seemed  to  be  employed 
in  settling  his  teeth,  burst  into  a  laugh,  not 
loud  but  very  mirthful,  saying,  "  Not  a  lunatic, 
dear,  but  our  very  odd  and  absent-minded 
minister." 

He  was  walking  away  in  the  direction  to 
take  him  farther  from  them.  They  saw  Wal 
lace  meet  him  and  stop  to  shake  hands  and  ex- 


272  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

change  a  few  sentences.  Then  the  two  parted, 
Mr.  Lord  walked  on,  and  "Wallace  hurried  to 
meet  them. 

The  thing  was  soon  explained.  Mr.  Lord 
had  come  in  heated  by  a  long  walk,  and  find 
ing  no  one  in  the  office,  had  pulled  off  his  coat 
and  settled  himself  to  rest  and  grow  cool  while 
waiting  for  the  return  of  Mr.  Keith  or  Wal 
lace. 

But  Elsie,  with  nerves  still  weak  from  her 
severe  illness,  could  not  recover  immediately 
from  the  effects  of  her  sudden  fright ;  she  still 
trembled  and  was  very  pale.  So  a  carriage 
was  sent  for  and  a  drive  substituted  for  the 
intended  walk ;  much  to  the  delight  of  Annis, 
to  whom  it  was  an  unusual  treat. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

"  She  was  the  pride 
Of  her  familiar  sphere — the  daily  joy 
Of  all  who  on  her  gracefulness  might  gaze, 
And  in  the  light  and  music  of  her  way 
Have  a  companion's  portion.'' — WILLIS. 

WALLACE  OKMSBY  was  not  behind  his  wife 
in  admiration  and  liking  for  Frank  Osborne  ;, 
he  enjoyed  his  sermons,  too,  and  was  desirous 
that  Mr.  Dinsmore  should  hear  the  young 
preacher,  and  make  his  acquaintance;  there 
fore  had  persuaded  him  and  Mr.  Lord  to  an 
exchange  of  pulpits  on  the  morrow,  which  was 
Sunday,  and  invited  Frank  to  be  his  and  Zillah's 
guest.  "Wallace  was  hospitably  inclined,  and 
not  a  little  proud  of  his  young  wife's  house 
keeping. 

The  invitation  was  accepted,  and  the  visit 
extended  a  day  or  two  by  urgent  request.  Of 
course  the  time  was  not  all  spent  on  the  one 
side  of  the  street,  and  Mr.  Dinsmore,  who  was 
not  lacking  in  observation,  soon  perceived  how 
matters  were  tending  between  Ada  and  the 
young  clergyman. 

He  spoke  to  his  cousin  about  it,  saying  that 


274  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"he  was  pleased  with  Mr.  Osborne,  finding 
him  agreeable,  well-informed,  and  an  able  ser- 
monizer  for  his  years  ;  but  surely  his  lack  of 
means  was  an  objection  to  the  match,  or  would 
be  if  Ada  were  his  daughter." 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  but  '  the  blessing  of  the 
Lord,  it  niaketh  rich,  and  he  addeth  no  sorrow 
with  it.'  If  there  is  mutual  love  we  will  raise 
no  barrier  to  their  union.  But  I  should  great 
ly  prefer  to  keep  my  dear  daughter  with  me 
for  some  years  yet." 

"  Yes ;  I  do  not  doubt  that.  I  am  glad  in 
deed  that  it  must  be  many  years  before  I  am 
called  to  part  with  mine  to  some  other  man. 
But,  Marcia,  how  is  it  that  Mildred  is  still 
single  ?  So  sweet  and  attractive  as  she  is  in 
every  way,  it  must  certainly  be  her  own  fault." 

In  reply  Mrs.  Keith  told  him  how  it  had 
been  between  Mildred  and  Charlie  Landreth, 
and  how  six  long  years  had  now  passed  with  no 
word  from  or  of  the  wanderer. 

He  was  deeply  touched.  "  It  would  be  well 
if  she  could  forget  him  and  bestow  her  affec 
tions  upon  another,"  he  said, "  for  surely  if  still 
living,  he  is  unworthy  of  her.  I  knew  and 
liked  him  as  a  boy,  but  it  is  long  since  I  have 
eeen  or  heard  of  him.  He  and  his  uncle  made 
a  disastrous  failure  in  business,  though  I  under 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  275 

stood  that  no  blame  attached  to  either ;  then 
the  uncle  died,  and  Charlie  disappeared  from 
our  neighborhood,  where  nothing  has  been 
heard  of  him  since,  so  far  as  I  have  learned. 
But  I  will  make  inquiries  on  my  return,  and 
may  possibly  be  able  to  trace  him.  However,, 
rest  assured  that  I  will  do  nothing  to  compro 
mise  Mildred,"  he  added,  noticing  a  doubtful 
look  on  his  cousin's  face. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said,  her  voice  trembling 
slightly.  "  I  can  trust  you,  I  know,  Horace ; 
and  I  cannot  tell  you  how  glad  I  should  be  to 
have  my  dear,  patient  child  relieved  of  this 
torturing  suspense." 

This  visit  of  their  cousins  was  a  grand  holi 
day  for  all  the  younger  Keiths,  Fan  and  An- 
nis  more  especially ;  they  were  excused  from 
lessons,  and  had  delightful  daily  walks  and 
drives. 

Every  morning  Elsie  would  take  her  Bible 
into  her  papa's  room  and  spend  a  little  while 
there  with  him,  before  they  were  called  to- 
breakfast.  He  sent  her  to  bed  regularly  at  half 
past  eight,  so  that  she  was  ready  to  rise  betimes. 

One  evening  when  she  came  to  bid  him  good 
night,  he  kissed  her  several  times,  saying,  "  I 
shall  probably  not  see  you  in  the  morning ; 
very  likely  not  until  to-morrow  evening,  as  I 


276  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

am  going  hunting  with  your  uncle,  and  we  ex 
pect  to  start  very  early." 

"  Oh,  I  wish  little  girls  could  go  too  !"  Elsie 
exclaimed,  clinging  to  him.  "But  mayn't  I 
get  up  in  time  to  see  you  before  you  go,  papa  ?" 

"  I  don't  think  you  will  be  awake,  daughter. 
We  start  before  sunrise." 

"  But  if  I  am,  papa,  mayn't  I  run  into  your 
room  and  kiss  you  good-by  ?" 

"  Yes ;  but  try  not  to  feel  disappointed  if 
you  should  miss  the  opportunity.  And  don't 
•shed  any  tears  over  papa's  absence,"  he  added 
half  jestingly. 

"  ]$fo,  sir ;  but  it  will  be  a  long  day  without 
you,"  she  sighed,  with  her  arm  about  his  neck, 
her  cheek  to  his. 

"  I  think  you  will  find  the  time  pass  much 
more  rapidly  than  you  expect,"  he  said  cheeri 
ly  ;  "  but  whether  or  no,  you  must  try  to  be 
bright  and  pleasant  for  the  sake  of  those 
around  you.  Don't  indulge  selfishness,  even 
in  little  things,  darling." 

"  I  will  try  not  to,  papa,"  she  answered,  giv 
ing  and  receiving  a  final  hug  and  kiss. 

No  one  was  near  enough  at  the  moment 
to  observe  or  overhear  what  passed  between 
them,  and  no  one  knew  anything  about  the 
few  quiet  tears  Elsie  shed  as  she  went  up  the 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  377 

stairs  to  her  Cousin  Mildred's  room  where  she 
was  to  sleep  that  night.  Ada,  Fan,  and  An- 
nis  had  all  had  their  turn — because  all  wanted 
the  sweet  little  cousin  for  a  bed-fellow — and 
now  it  was  Mildred's.  But  she  found  her  mam 
my  waiting  to  prepare  her  for  bed,  and  her 
little  trouble  was  soon  forgotten  in  sound,  sweet 
sleep. 

Mildred  came  up  an  hour  later,  and  stepping 
softly  to  the  bedside,  stood  for  a  minute  or  two= 
gazing  tenderly  down  upon  the  sweet  little 
sleeping  face.  Its  expression  brought  to  her 
mind  the  lines — read  she  could  not  remember 
where — 

"  I  want  to  be  marked  for  thine  own — 
Thy  seal  on  my  forehead  to  wear." 

"  Dear  little  girlie,"  she  whispered,  bending- 
over  the  child,  "  you  wear  it  if  ever  mortal  did ! 
No  wonder  you  are  the  very  idol  of  your  fa 
ther's  heart !" 

Half  an  hour  before  sunrise  Mildred  wa& 
again  moving  quietly  about,  careful  not  to  dis 
turb  her  little  room-mate  while  making  a  neat,, 
though  rapid  toilet. 

Going  out,  she  left  the  door  slightly  ajar. 
Her  cousin  was  just  issuing  from  his,  seemingly 
in  full  readiness  for  his  expedition.  They  ex 
changed  a  pleasant,  low-toned  good  morning. 


278  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  I  did  not  know  you  were  so  early  a  riser," 
he  said. 

"  I  claimed  the  privilege  of  pouring  out  the 
coffee  for  you  and  father,"  she  returned  with  a 
smile.  Then  pointing  to  the  door,  "  Go  in,  if 
yon  like.  I  know  you  want  to  kiss  your  baby 
before  you  start ;  she's  there  asleep." 

"  Thank  you." 

He  stole  softly  in  and  bent  over  the  loved 
sleeper  for  a  moment,  his  eyes  devouring  the 
.sweet,  fair  face;  he  stooped  lower,  and  his 
moustache  brushed  the  round,  rosy  cheek. 

"  Papa,"  she  murmured  in  her  sleep ;  but  a 
.second  kiss,  upon  her  lips,  awoke  her. 

Instantly  her  arm  was  round  his  neck.  "  O 
papa,  I'm  so  glad  you  came !  Please,  may  I 
get  up  and  see  you  start  ?" 

"  No ;  lie  still  and  take  another  nap,  my  pet. 
We'll  be  off  before  you  could  dress.  There, 
good-by,  darling.  Don't  expose  yourself  to  the 
sun  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  or  to  the  evening 
air.  Though  I  expect  to  be  back  in  tune  to  see 
to  that  last." 

"  I  hope  so,  indeed,  papa  ;  but  you  know  I 
will  obey  you  just  the  same  if  you  are  not  here 
to  see." 

"  I  don't  doubt  it  in  the  least,"  he  said. 

Then  the  door  closed  on  him,  and  the  little 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

girl,  accustomed  to  implicit  obedience,  turned 
over  and  went  to  sleep  again. 

When  Mildred  came  up  a  little  before  the 
usual  breakfast  hour,  she  found  her  dressed  and 
reading  her  Bible. 

"  You  love  that  book,  Elsie  dear  ?"  she  said. 

"  Yes,  indeed,  cousin.  And  I  do  love  to 
have  my  papa  read  it  with  me.  This  is  the 
first  morning  he  has  missed  doing  so  since — 
since  I  was  so  very  sick."  The  voice  sounded 
as  if  tears  were  not  far  off. 

"How  nice  to  have  such  a  good,  kind 
father,"  Mildred  remarked  in  a  cheery  tone. 

"  Oh  it  is  so,  cousin !"  Elsie  answered,  her 
whole  face  lighting  up.  "  I  used  to  be  con 
tinually  longing  for  papa  while  he  was  away  in 
Europe.  I'd  never  seen  him,  you  know,  and 
have  no  mother  or  brother  or  sister — and  now 
I  just  want  to  hold  fast  to  him  all  the  time : — 
my  dear,  dear  papa  !" 

"And  you  are  missing  him  now?  Well, 
dear,  take  comfort  in  the  thought  that  he  is 
probably  enjoying  himself,  and  will  soon  re 
turn  to  his  little  pet  daughter.  I  think  he 
never  forgets  you — he  asked  what  we  could  do 
with  you  to-day  in  his  absence,  and  I  told  him 
my  plan  for  the  morning.  He  approved,  and 
now  shall  I  tell  it  to  you  2" 


280  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  Oh,  yes,  cousin !  if  you  please,"  returned 
the  child  with  a  very  interested  look. 

"  Our  sewing  society  meets  this  afternoon, 
•and  as  we — mother,  my  sisters,  and  I — have 
some  work  to  finish  before  we  go,  we  will  have 
to  be  busy  with  our  needles.  One  generally 
reads  aloud  while  the  others  sew,  and  we  would 
like  to  have  you  join  us ;  taking  your  turn  at 
both  aewing  and  reading,  if  you  choose." 

"  Very  much,  cousin,  if — if  the  book  is  one 
that  papa  approves ;  he  never  allows  me  to  read 
.anything  without  being  sure  of  that. 

"  Ah,  that  was  why  he  said  '  Tell  Elsie  I  say 
she  may  read  or  listen  to  anything  her  Aunt 
Marcia  pronounces  suitable  for  her.'  "We  have 
-some  very  nice  books  that  may  be  new  to  you." 

"  Oh,  then  I  think  it  will  be  ever  so  nice !" 

"  Well  then,"  said  Mildred,  "  we  will  take 
•a  short  walk  soon  after  breakfast,  then  spend 
the  rest  of  the  morning  as  I  have  proposed. 
Your  papa  says  you  can  read  aloud  very  nice 
ly,  and  use  your  needle  well,  too." 

"  I  don't  know  whether  you  will  think  so, 
-cousin,"  Elsie  returned  modestly,  "but  I  am 
^willing  to  try,  and  shall  do  my  very  best." 

They  carried  out  their  plans  with  only  a 
short  interruption  from  a  caller.  After  dinner 
Annis  was  left  to  entertain  Elsie  for  a  few 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  281 

hours  while  the  others  attended  the  meeting  of 
the  society. 

It  was  an  almost  sultry  afternoon,  and  An- 
nis  proposed  taking  the  dolls  to  a  grotto  her 
brothers  had  made  for  her  and  Fan,  near  the 
spring  that  bubbled  up  at  the  foot  of  the  high 
river  bank,  and  was  reached  by  a  flight  of 
steps  that  led  down  from  the  garden  behind 
the  house. 

The  grotto  was  tastefully  adorned  with  moss, 
pebbles,  and  shells,  and  had  a  comfortable  rus 
tic  seat,  artistically  formed  of  twigs  and  the 
smaller  branches  of  trees  with  the  bark  still  on 
them. 

It  was  a  pleasant  place  to  sit  and  dream  on  a 
summer  afternoon,  with  the  clear  bright  water 
of  the  river  lapping  the  pebbly  shore  almost 
at  your  feet,  the  leafy  branches  of  a  grape-vine 
overhead  nearly  concealing  you  from  the  view 
of  any  one  on  the  further  bank  or  in  a  passing 
boat.  A  pleasant  place,  too,  for  children  to 
play,  and  not  at  all  a  dangerous  one ;  the  little 
Keith  girls  went  there  whenever  they  chose. 

Elsie  and  Annis  were  congenial  spirits,  en 
joyed  each  other's  society,  and  had  spent  an 
hour  or  more  very  agreeably  together  in  this 
cool  retreat,  when  the  sound  of  dipping  oars 
near  at  hand  drew  their  attention,  and  peer- 


282  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

ing  out  from  behind  the  leafy  screen  of  the 
grape-vine,  they  saw  a  canoe  approaching  pro 
pelled  by  the  strong  young  arms  of  Cyril  and 
Don,  now  grown  to  be  lads  of  sixteen  and  four 
teen. 

"Hello!  we  thought  we'd  find  you  here, 
girls,"  Cyril  called  to  them.  "  Don't  you  want 
to  take  a  row  ?" 

"  Oh  yes,  yes  indeed !"  cried  Annis,  jump 
ing  up  and  clapping  her  hands  with  delight. 
"  Come,  Elsie,  there  couldn't  be  anything  nicer, 
I'm  sure !" 

Elsie  rose  as  if  to  comply,  her  face  full  of 
eager  delight  also,  but  its  expression  changed 
suddenly. 

"  I'm  afraid  I  ought  not,  Annis,"  she  said  ; 
"  papa  might  not  be  willing,  and  I  can't  ask 
him,  you  know,  because  he  is  away." 

The  boys  had  now  brought  the  canoe  close 
up,  and  Cyril  reached  out  his  hand  to  help  her 
in. 

"  Come,  little  coz,"  he  said  in  his  most  per 
suasive  tones,  "  I'm  sure  your  father  would  not 
object ;  there  isn't  a  particle  of  danger.  I'm 
used  to  rowing  on  this  river,  as  well  as  to  fish 
ing  and  swimming  in  it — and  it's  not  deep  or 
swift,  except  in  mid-current,  and  I  promise  to 
keep  near  the  shore." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  283 

"  But  papa  is  very  strict  and  particular,"  El 
sie  said,  hanging  back,  though  with  a  longing 
look  in  her  lovely  brown  eyes. 

"  But  he  likes  to  have  you  enjoy  yourself » 
surely  ?"  put  in  Don. 

"  Indeed,  he  does,  when  it's  quite  safe  and 
right,"  Elsie  returned  with  warmth ;  "  he  loves 
me  dearly." 

"Then  he  wouldn't  like  you  to  miss  this 
pleasure,"  said  Cyril.  "  The  canoe  is  a  bor 
rowed  one,  and  it  isn't  every  day  I  can  get  it." 

"  And  if  you  don't  go  I  can't,"  remarked 
Annis. 

"  Oh,  yes,  you  can,"  Elsie  said ;  "  don't  stay 
for  me.  I'll  go  up  to  the  house  and  amuse 
myself  with  a  book  till  you  come  back." 

"No,  no,  I  couldn't  think  of  leaving  my 
company;  it  wouldn't  be  at  all  polite  ;  and  I 
couldn't  enjoy  it  without  you ;  yet  I  want  to 
go  ever  so  much.  O  Elsie,  do  come  !" 

"  I  want  to,  I'm  sure ;  both  to  oblige  you, 
Annis,  and  for  my  own  pleasure,"  Elsie  an 
swered.  "  Oh  I  wish  I  were  quite  sure  papa 
would  be  willing !" 

"  Take  it  for  granted,"  said  Cyril,  "  it's  the 
best  you  can  do,  under  the  circumstances ;  so 
he  surely  can't  be  much  displeased." 

Still  Elsie  hesitated. 


284  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  Ah,"  said  Cyril,  mischievously,  is  Cousin 
Horace  so  very  severe !  Are  you  afraid  he  will 
whip  you  ?" 

"  No,"  Elsie  said,  reddening ;  "  do  you  think 
so  meanly  of  me  as  to  suppose  I  obey  my  fa 
ther  only  from  fear  of  punishment  ?" 

"No;  and  I  beg  your  pardon.  I  know 
you're  fond  of  him,  too,  and  that  you  want  to 
do  right.  But  I  have  noticed  that  he  is  very 
polite  and  considerate  of  others,  and  don't  you 
think  he  wishes  you  to  be  the  same  ?" 

"  I  know  he  does." 

"  Then  surely  he  would  tell  you  to  go  with 
us ;  because  your  refusal  will  spoil  all  our 
pleasure." 

"  Yes,  Elsie ;  it  was  all  for  your  sake  we 
borrowed  the  canoe,"  said  Don ;  "  and  if  you 
refuse  to  go  it  will  be  a  great  disappointment. 
"We  wouldn't  urge  you  if  it  would  be  disobedi 
ence  ;  but  did  your  father  ever  say  you  mustn't 
row  with  us  on  the  river  ?" 

"  No,  Don ;  but  perhaps  that  was  only  be 
cause  he  never  thought  of  your  asking  me." 

"  O  Elsie,  Elsie,  do  go !"  entreated  Annis. 
"I  won't  go  without  you,  and  I  can't  bear  to 
lose  the  row." 

"  Didn't  Cousin  Horace  leave  you  in  moth 
er's  care !"  asked  Cyril. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  285 

"Yes." 

""Well,  then,  what  need  of  hesitation? 
Mother  lets  Annis  go,  and  of  course  she  would 
let  you." 

Elsie  stood  for  a  moment,  silently  weighing 
the  question  in  her  mind.  Certainly  her  papa 
had  great  confidence  in  "  Aunt  Marcia's"  opin 
ion,  for  had  he  not  said  she  might  read  what 
ever  Aunt  Marcia  recommended  ?  and  he  had 
left  her  in  her  care ;  also,  he  did  teach  her  to 
be  considerate  of  the  wishes  of  others ;  he  had 
told  her  only  last  night  not  to  be  selfish  in  little 
things.  Surely  he  would  not  have  her  spoil 
the  afternoon's  pleasure  of  these  three  cousins. 

Ah.  but  he  was  never  willing  to  have  her 
exposed  to  unnecessary  danger!  But  Cyril 
said  there  was  really  no  danger,  and — she  did 
so  want  to  go !  it  looked  so  pleasant  on  the 
water ! 

The  scales  were  almost  evenly  balanced,  and 
finally  she  allowed  inclination  to  decide  her, 
gave  Cyril  her  hand,  and  was  quickly  seated 
in  the  canoe  with  the  delighted  Annis  by  her 
side. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

"Mutual  love,  the  crown  of  all  our  bliss." 


MILTON. 


THE  boys  took  up  their  oars  again,  pushed 
out  a  little  from  the  shore,  and  rowed  up 
stream  for  a  short  distance,  then  turned  and 
went  down  for  a  mile  or  more,  keeping  out  of 
the  main  current  all  the  time,  according  to- 
promise. 

Elsie  felt  a  trifle  timid  at  first,  and  a  little 
troubled  lest  she  had  not  done  quite  right  in 
yielding  to  her  cousins'  persuasions ;  but  grad 
ually  these  disquieting  thoughts  and  feelinga 
passed  away,  and  she  gave  herself  up  to  thor 
ough  enjoyment  of  the  present  pastime. 

They  chatted,  laughed,  and  sang;  dipped 
their  hands  in  the  clear  water ;  gazed  through 
it  at  the  pebbly  bottom,  and  the  fish  darting 
hither  and  thither ;  landed  in  several  places  to 
gather  bright  autumn  leaves ;  then  re-entered 
the  canoe  for  another  row. 

The  air  was  delightful,  and  most  of  the  way 
they  were  pretty  well  shaded  from  the  sun  bj? 
the  high  bank  and  its  trees  and  bushes. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  287 

The  boys  did  not  soon  tire  with  their  work, 
for  their  load  was  light;  going  down  stream 
required  but  little  use  of  their  oars,  and  even 
rowing  up  was  not  very  laborious.  So  the 
afternoon  slipped  away  before  they  knew  it. 

"  I  believe  the  sun  is  getting  low,"  Cyril 
said  at  length,  "  and  we  are  a  good  mile  from 
home.  We  must  turn,  Don.  "What  time  is  it, 
Elsie?" 

Taking  out  her  pretty  watch,  "Half-past 
five,"  she  said  in  some  dismay,  "and  the  air 
begins  to  feel  a  little  chilly.  Don't  you  think 
so?" 

"Yes;  and  it's  supper-time.  Come,  Don, 
my  lad,  we  must  pull  lustily." 

"  Yes,  a  long  pull,  a  strong  pull,  and  a  pull 
both  together,"  responded  Don  gayly,  as  he 
bent  to  his  oar. 

"We  ought  to  have  brought  shawls  along 
for  you  girls,"  Cyril  remarked,  with  an  anxious 
glance  at  his  little  cousin. 

"  I'm  not  cold,"  said  Annis. 

"  But  Elsie  is.  Here,  little  coz,  let  me  put 
this  round  you,"  he  said,  pulling  off  his  coat-, 
"nobody  will  see,  and  I  wouldn't  have  you 
take  a  chill  from  this  expedition  for  anything 
in  the  world." 

"  But  you  will  be  cold,"  Elsie  said,  shrinking 


288  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

back,  as  he  would  have  put  it  about  her  shoul 
ders. 

"  Not  a  bit ;  rowing  keeps  a  fellow  warm  ag 
toast  this  time  of  year,"  he  returned,  with  a 
light  laugh:  and  she  made  no  further  resist 
ance. 

Nearing  the  grotto,  they  saw  Aunt  Chloe 
standing  at  the  water's  edge,  with  a  shawl  on 
her  arm,  looking  out  anxiously  for  her  nurs 
ling. 

"  O  mammy  !  has  papa  come  ?"  Elsie  called 
to  her. 

"  No,  darlin';  'spect  massa'll  be  'long  dreckly. 
But  what  for  my  chile  go  off  in  de  boat  widout 
a  shawl,  when  de  ebenins  gits  so  cool?  Ise 
'fraid  massa  be  mighty  vexed  'bout  it.  And 
s'pose  you'd  got  drownded,  honey,  what  den  ?" 

"  Come  now,  Aunt  Chloe,  it's  all  my  fault, 
and  if  there's  to  be  any  scolding,  I'm  the  one 
to  take  it,"  Cyril  said  good-humoredly,  as  he 
helped  Elsie  ashore. 

"  O  mammy  !  was  it  naughty  in  me  to  go  ? 
Do  you  think  papa  will  be  displeased  with 
me  ?"  the  little  girl  asked  in  an  anxious  whis 
per,  while  the  nurse  was  busied  in  carefully 
wrapping  the  shawl  about  her;  Cyril's  coat 
having  been  returned  with  thanks. 

"  Maybe  not.     Dere,  honey,  don't  you  fret." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  Where  was  the  harm  in  her  going  ?  But 
you  won't  tell  of  her,  Aunt  Chloe  ?"  Annis  said, 
as  they  climbed  the  steps  that  led  up  the  bank. 

"  No,  chile,  s'pect  not ;  ain't  no  'casion  no 
how;  massa  neber  in  de  house  beiy  long  fo' 
Miss  Elsie  tell  him  all  she's  been  adoinV 

"  Shall  you  tell  him,  Elsie  ?"  Annis  asked, 
turning  to  her  cousin  as  they  gained  the  top 
of  the  flight  of  steps. 

"  Yes ;  I  can't  feel  easy  till  papa  knows  all 
about  it.  I'm  afraid  I  oughtn't  to  have 
gone." 

There  was  a  tone  of  distress  in  Elsie's 
voice,  and,  indeed,  she  began  to  be  sorely 
troubled  in  prospect  of  her  father's  displeas 
ure  ;  for  her  mammy's  words  had  caused  her 
to  see  her  conduct  in  going  on  the  river  in  a 
new  light,  and  she  had  now  scarce  a  hope  that 
it  would  meet  his  approval.  Besides,  they 
were  certainly  late  for  supper,  and  he  was 
particular  in  regard  to  promptness  at  meals. 

They  hurried  into  the  house,  expecting  to 
find  their  elders  seated  about  the  table.  But 
there  was  no  one  in  the  dining-room,  and 
though  the  table  was  set,  the  meal  was  not 
spread.  The  ladies  had  returned,  but  were 
waiting  for  the  gentlemen,  who  had  not  yet 
come  in. 


290  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Elsie  was  not  sorry.  She  hastened  up-stairs 
to  be  made  neat  for  tea,  and  was  down  again 
in  a  few  minutes. 

Still  nothing  was  to  be  seen  or  heard  of  the 
huntsmen,  and  she  began  to  grow  uneasy. 
Perhaps  some  accident  had  happened  to  her 
dear  papa ;  maybe  she  was  to  be  punished  in 
that  way  for  what  she  began  to  look  upon  as 
an  act  of  disobedience  or  something  very  near  it. 

"  Aunt  Marcia,"  she  said,  drawing  near  to 
Mrs.  Keith,  "  what  do  you  think  makes  them 
stay  so  long  ?" 

"  I  don't  know,  dear ;  but  nothing  serious,  I 
trust.  They  probably  went  farther  than  they 
had  intended.  But  don't  be  anxious ;  I  do 
not  see  any  cause  for  alarm,"  was  the  cheer 
ful,  kindly  answer. 

Supper  had  been  delayed  a  full  hour  already, 
and  Mrs.  Keith  decided  that  it  should  wait  no 
longer.  "  It  is  not  worth  while,"  she  said,  "  for 
very  likely  our  gentlemen  have  supped  some 
where  on  the  road." 

Elsie  was  unusually  silent,  and  seemed  to 
have  lost  her  appetite.  Her  eyes  turned  every 
moment  towaiv  the  door ;  her  ear  was  strained 
to  catch  everj"  Bound  from  the  street.  Oh, 
what  could  be  keeping  her  papa  ? 

They  left  the  table,  and  she  stationed  her- 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

self  at  a  front  window  to  wait  and  watch  for 
his  coming. 

Mildred  drew  near,  passed  an  arm  about  the 
child's  waist,  and  with  a  gentle  kiss  asked, 
"  Why  are  you  so  troubled  and  anxious,  dear 
little  girlie  ?  It  is  nothing  strange  that  our 
fathers  should  be  a  little  late  in  getting  home 
to-night." 

Then  Elsie,  laying  her  head  on  her  cousin's 
shoulder,  whispered  in  her  sympathizing  ear  a. 
tearful  story  of  how  the  afternoon  had  been 
spent,  and  her  fear  that  she  had  done  wrong- 
in  going  out  in  the  canoe,  and  that  perhaps- 
she  might  be  punished  by  something  dreadful 
happening  to  her  "  dear,  dear  papa." 

"  I  hardly  think  it  was  wrong,  dear,"  Mil 
dred  said ;  '•  not  a  very  serious  fault,  at  any 
rate.  And  I  cannot  believe  our  Heavenly 
Father  would  visit  you  with  such  a  punish 
ment.  He  never  treats  us  according  to  our 
deserts.  He  is  '  a  God  ready  to  pardon,  gra 
cious  and  merciful,  slow  to  anger,  and  of 
great  kindness. ' " 

"  Yes,  1  know ;  the  Bible  tells  us  that," 
Elsie  returned,  wiping  away  her  tears.  "  How 
good  he  is  to  me,  and  to  all  his  creatures ;  it 
makes  me  ashamed  and  sorry  for  all  the  &m 
in  my  heart  and  life." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Mildred  presently  began  talking  of  the  old 
days  at  Yiamede  and  Roselands,  trying  thus 
to  help  the  little  girl  to  forgetfulness  of  her 
anxiety.  Elsie  grew  cheerful  and  apparently 
interested  in  her  cousin's  reminiscences  of  her 
babyhood ;  but  still  her  eyes  turned  every  now 
and  then  to  the  window,  and  her  ears  seemed 
attentive  to  every  sound  from  without. 

The  clock  struck  eight,  and  with  a  sigh  she 
drew  out  her  watch  and  compared  the  two. 

"  Oh,"  she  said,  "  why  don't  they  come  ?  I 
must  go  to  bed  in  half  an  hour,  and  I  do  so 
want  to  see  papa  first." 

"  Do  you  think  he  wouldn't  let  you  stay  up 
to  wait  for  him  ?"  asked  Mildred. 

"  No,  cousin,  he  always  insists  on  my  going 
to  bed  at  the  regular  hour,  unless  he  has  given 
me  permission  to  stay  up  longer." 

The  half  hour  was  almost  gone — only  five 
minutes  left — when  at  last  Elsie's  ear  caught 
the  sound  of  a  well-known  step  and  voice. 

She  ran  to  the  door,  "  Papa,  papa !  I'm  so 
glad,  so  glad  you've  come !  I  was  so  afraid 
something  had  happened  to  you." 

"  Ah,  I  knew  my  little  girl  would  be  anx 
ious,"  he  said,  bending  down  to  give  her  a 
tender  caress.  "Well,  there  was  nothing 
•wrong,  except  that  we  went  a  little  farther 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  393 

than  we  intended ;  and  here  we  are  safe  and 
sound." 

"  And  both  tired  and  hungry,  I  dare  say," 
said  Mrs.  Keith. 

"  The  first,  but  not  the  last,"  returned  her 
husband.  "  We  took  our  supper  an  hour 
ago,  at  Ward's." 

Mr.  Dinsmore  sat  down  and  drew  Elsie  to 
his  side.  "  Ah,  is  it  so  late  ?"  he  said,  glancing 
at  the  clock.  "Just  your  bed-time,  daugh 
ter." 

"  Yes,  papa,  but — "  and  with  her  arm  about 
his  neck,  her  lips  to  his  ear,  she  whispered  the 
rest — "  I  want  so  much  to  tell  you  something. 
Mayn't  I?" 

"  Tes ;  go  up  now  and  let  Aunt  Chloe  make 
you  ready  for  bed  ;  then  put  on  your  dressing- 
gown  and  slippers  and  come  to  my  room.  I 
shall  be  there  by  that  time,  and  we'll  have  our 
little  talk.  I  should  hardly  like  to  go  to  bed 
without  it  myself." 

Elsie  obeyed,  and  he  presently  excusing  him 
self,  on  the  plea  of  fatigue,  for  so  early  a  re 
tirement,  went  to  his  room,  where  she  found 
him  waiting  for  her  as  he  had  promised. 

"  Well,  my  pet,  have  you  anything  particu 
lar  for  papa's  ear  to-night  ?"  he  asked,  lifting 
her  to  his  knee. 


'294  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  Yes,  papa.  But  aren't  you  too  tired  to 
hold  me?" 

"  No  ;  it  rests  me  to  have  my  darling  in  my 
arms,"  he  answered,  caressing  her  with  his 
Wonted  tender  fondness. 

"Papa,  I'm  afraid  I  don't  deserve  it  to 
night,"  she  murmured,  hanging  her  head, 
Awhile  a  deep  blush  suffused  her  cheek. 

"  I'm  sorry  indeed,  if  that  is  so,"  he  said 
gently ;  "  but  very  glad  that  my  little  daugh 
ter  never  tries  to  conceal  any  wrong-doing 
<of  her  own  from  me." 

Then  he  waited  for  her  to  speak  ;  he  knew 
there  was  no  need  to  question  her. 

"  Papa,"  she  said,  so  low  that  he  barely 
caught  the  words,  "  I  went  out  on  the  river  in 
a  canoe,  with  Annis,  this  afternoon.  Cyril  and 
Don  rowed  it." 

"  And  my  little  girl  went  without  her  fa 
ther's  permission?"  His  tone  was  one  of 
grieved  surprise. 

"  But  you  were  not  here  to  give  it,  papa," 
she  said,  bursting  into  tears. 

"  A  very  good  and  sufficient  reason  why  my 
daughter  should  have  refused  to  go." 

"  But,  papa,  I  did  not  know  you  would  ob 
ject,  and  I  thought  you  would  not  want  me 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  295 

to  spoil  the  pleasure  of  my  cousins ;  and  they 
said  I  would  if  I  refused  to  go." 

"  I  think  you  certainly  knew  me  well 
enough  to  be  quite  sure,  if  you  had  taken 
time  to  consider  the  question  fully,  that  I 
would  be  far  from  willing  to  let  you  run 
into  danger  for  the  pleasure  of  others." 

"  But,  papa,  Aunt  Marcia  let's  Annis  go : 
and  Cyril  said  there  was  no  danger. " 

"  Nonsense  !  Cyril  is  only  a  boy ;  not  ca 
pable  of  judging.  The  current  of  the  river  is 
very  swift  and  strong.  I  should  not  have 
trusted  you  upon  it  in  a  canoe  with  those  boys 
for  any  consideration,  and  am  truly  thankful 
that  you  escaped  without  accident.  But  I  am 
not  pleased  with  you." 

"  Papa,  I  am  very  sorry.  Please  don't  be 
angry  with  me,"  she  sobbed,  hiding  her  face 
on  his  shoulder. 

He  was  silent  for  a  moment,  then  lifting 
her  face,  wiped  away  her  tears  with  his  hand 
kerchief,  and  kissing  her  lips,  said,  "  I  sup 
pose  the  temptation  was  strong,  and  as  it  was 
not  an  act  of  positive  disobedience  to  orders,  I 
forgive  you.  But,  my  little  daughter,  you 
must  never  do  anything  of  the  kind  again." 

"  No,  dear  papa,  I  will  not,"  she  said,  with 


296  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

a  sigh  of  relief .     "  You  are  very  kind  not  to 
punish  me." 

'Not  kinder  to  you  than  to  myself;  it 
hurts  me,  I  think,  quite  as  much  as  it  does 
you  when  I  have  to  punish  you,"  he  said, 
with  another  loving  caress.  "  Now,  darling, 
bid  me  good-night  and  go  to  your  bed." 


CHAPTEK  XXII. 

"  All  flesh  is  grass,  and  all  its  glory  fades 
Lake  the  fair  flower  dishevell'd  in  the  wind." 

COWPKB'S  TASK. 

AJSTNIS  was  in  Mildred's  room  waiting  to  say 
good-night  to  her  cousin,  rather  uneasy,  too, 
lest  she  had  got  her  into  trouble,  by  coaxing 
her  into  the  canoe. 

"  O  Elsie !"  she  said,  as  the  latter  came  in, 
"  was  your  papa  displeased  ?  did  he  punish 
you  ?  You  look  as  if  you  had  been  crying." 

"  He  said  he  was  not  pleased  with  me,"  El 
sie  answered,  brushing  away  a  tear  ;  "  that  was 
punishment  enough,  I'm  sure ;  but  he  forgave 
me  the  next  minute  and  kissed  me  good 
night." 

"  Oh,  I'm  glad  that  was  all! "  Annis  ex 
claimed,  giving  Elsie  a  hug.  "  I  began  to  be 
almost  afraid  he  had  whipped  you." 

"  No,  indeed !  he  never  did  that,  and  I 
don't  believe  he  ever  will,"  Elsie  said,  a  quick, 
vivid  blush  dyeing  her  fair  face  and  neck. 

The  next  day  the  little  girls  were  taking  a 
walk  on  the  river  bank,  Aunt  Chloe  plodding 


298  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

along  a  little  in  the  rear,  that  she  might  watch 
over  her  nursling. 

A  boy  coming  from  the  opposite  direction 
startled  them  by  a  loud  "  Hello,  Tim  !  where 
are  you  going  ?" 

Two  boys  were  just  passing  them,  and  the 
younger,  who  looked  to  be  about  ten  years 
old,  made  answer  in  a  surly  tone,  and  in 
words  so  profane  that  the  little  girls  shud 
dered  with  horror. 

"  "Well,  I  wouldn't  want  to  go  'long  with 
you ;  not  to  that  place,"  remarked  the  first 
jeeringly ;  "  but  what's  the  use  o'  bein'  so  all- 
fired  cross — swearin'  at  a  feller  just  for  askin' 
a  civil  question  ?" 

"  Come,  Bill,  just  you  let  him  alone,"  said 
Tim's  companion ;  "  he's  worked  up  and 
mad,  'cause  his  mother  told  him  not  to  go  to 
the  river,  and  that's  where  we're  going  this 
minute." 

"  "Well,  then,  George,  if  he  gits  drowned,  I 
guess  he'll  go  where  he  said  he  was  a-goin'," 
remarked  Bill,  passing  on. 

The  little  girls  stood  still,  watching  the 
other  two  as  they  hurried  on  down  the  bank, 
entered  a  canoe  that  lay  on  the  water,  made 
fast  by  a  rope  to  a  tree,  loosed  it,  and  pushed 
out  into  the  stream. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  299 

They  were  not  careful  as  Cyril  had  been  to 
keep  near  the  shore,  and  presently  the  cur 
rent  was  carrying  them  down  stream  very 
rapidly. 

A  few  hundred  yards  below  the  spot  where 
they  had  embarked,  a  wooden  bridge  had  for 
merly  spanned  the  river ;  it  had  been  torn 
down  shortly  before  this,  but  the  posts  were 
left  standing  in  the  water.  Against  one  of 
these  the  canoe  struck  and  instantly  overset, 
throwing  the  boys  into  the  water  where  it  was 
deepest  and  most  dangerous. 

The  little  girls  and  their  attendant  saw  the 
mishap,  and  ran  screaming  toward  some  men 
who  were  at  work  at  no  great  distance.  The 
instant  the  men  comprehended  what  had  oc 
curred,  they  made  all  haste  to  the  scene  of  the 
disaster,  and  used  every  effort  to  rescue  the 
lads. 

They  succeeded  in  bringing  George  out 
alive,  but  Tim  had  sunk  to  rise  no  more. 
They  could  not  even  find  the  body. 

"When  this  announcement  was  made,  the 
two  little  girls,  who  had  stood  looking  on  in 
intense  excitement  and  full  of  distress  for  the 
imperilled  boys,  burst  into  bitter  weeping. 
They  hurried  home,  crying  as  they  went,  to 
tell  the  sad  story. 


300  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Mrs.  Keith  was  in  the  sitting-room,  busied 
with  some  sewing,  as  usual,  Mr.  Dinsmore 
with  her,  when  the  children  came  rushing  in, 
crying  as  if  their  hearts  would  break. 

"  Why,  my  child,  what  is  the  matter  ?"  Mr. 
Dinsmore  asked,  in  extreme  surprise  and 
alarm,  as  Elsie  threw  herself  into  his  arms  and 
clung  to  him,  sobbing  convulsively. 

"  O  mother,  mother !  we've  just  seen  a  boy 
drowned !"  cried  Annis,  burying  her  face  in 
her  mother's  lap.  "  It  was  Tim  Jones,  and 
his  mother  had  told  him  not  to  go  to  the 
river.  And  we  heard  him  say  such  wicked 
words  as  he  was  going." 

"  And  O  papa !  he's  dead,"  sobbed  Elsie, 
"  and  I  can't  even  pray  for  him !  O  papa !  he 
has  lost  his  soul !" 

"  We  do  not  know  that  certainly,  dear 
daughter,"  he  said,  trying  to  comfort  her ;  "  we 
may  have  a  little  hope,  for  possibly  he  may 
have  cried  to  Jesus  for  pardon  and  salvation, 
even  after  he  was  in  the  water." 

"  And  Jesus  is  so  kind,  so  ready  to  forgive 
and  save  us,"  she  said,  growing  calmer.  "  But, 
O  papa!  it's  such  a  little  hope  we  can  have 
that  he  did  find  the  way,  and  get  a  new  heart 
in  that  one  minute !" 

"Yes,  that   is  too  sadly  true,"  he  sighed. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  3Q1 

"  Yet  the  thought  uppermost  in  my  mind  just 
now  is,  What  if  this  had  happened  to  my 
child  yesterday  !  O !  my  darling,  how  could 
I  have  borne  such  a  loss  ?  My  heart  aches 
for  the  parents  of  that  boy." 

"  Dear  papa,  God  was  very  good  to  us," 
she  whispered,  laying  her  cheek  to  his,  as  he 
held  her  close  to  his  heart.  "  Oh,  I  am  glad  he 
did  not  let  me  fall  into  the  river  and  drown, 
though  I  was  so  naughty  as  to  go  without 
your  leave." 

"But  I  had  not  forbidden  you,"  he  said 
tenderly ;  "  and  I  know  that  my  little  girl 
loves  Jesus,  and  tries  to  serve  him ;  so  I 
should  have  been  spared  the  terrible  pain  of 
fearing  that  you  were  lost  to  me  forever. 
Yet  I  cannot  be  thankful  enough  that  I  have 
you  still,  my  precious,  precious  child !" 

His  tones  were  so  low  that  Mrs.  Keith 
could  hardly  have  caught  the  words,  even  had 
she  not  been  occupied,  as  she  was,  in  soothing 
and  comforting  Annis. 


CHAPTEE  XXIII 

"Oft  what  seems 
A  trifle,  a  mere  nothing,  by  itself, 
In  some  nice  situation,  turns  the  scale 
Of  fate,  and  rules  the  most  important  actions." 

THOMSON. 

BECAUSE  of  the  near  approach  of  his  appoint- 
ed  wedding-day  Mr.  Dinsmore  could  not  lin 
ger  long  in  Pleasant  Plains.  All  felt  the  part 
ing  keenly,  for  even  in  the  few  days  they  had 
spent  together  a  strong  attachment  had  sprung 
up  between  Elsie  and  her  cousins,  while  the 
renewal  of  former  congenial  intercourse  had 
strengthened  the  tie  of  affection  that  had  long 
existed  between  Mrs.  Keith  and  her  Cousin 
Horace. 

Fan  and  Annis  wept  so  bitterly  as  the  stage 
whirled  away  out  of  sight,  that  their  mother 
and  Mildred  found  it  necessary  to  deny  them 
selves  the  indulgence  of  their  own  grief  in 
order  to  comfort  them. 

At  the  same  time  Mr.  Dinsmore  was  wiping 
the  tears  from  Elsie's  eyes,  and  soothing  her 
with  tender  caresses  and  the  hope  that  she  and 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  303 

Mildred  and  Annis  would  meet  again  before  a 
great  while. 

""Who  knows,"  he  said  in  cheerj  tones, 
"  but  we  may  be  able  to  persuade  their  father 
and  mother  to  let  them  spend  the  winter  at 
the  Oaks  next  year !" 

"  O  papa,  how  nice  that  would  be !"  ex 
claimed  the  child,  smiling  through  her  tears ; 
"  will  you  ask  them  ?" 

"  Yes ;  if  you  will  stop  crying  now.  Per 
haps  if  you  keep  on  I  may  be  tempted  to  join 
you,"  he  added  jestingly,  "  and  how  ashamed 
we  would  both  feel." 

That  made  Elsie  laugh.  Then  he  interested 
her  in  plans  for  purchasing  gifts  for  the  cous 
ins  they  had  just  left,  and  for  her  "  new  mam 
ma,"  when  they  should  reach  New  York,  and 
soon  she  was  quite  her  usual  sunny  self. 

Fortunately  up  to  this  time  their  little  party 
had  been  the  only  occupants  of  the  stage. 

We  have  not  space  to  speak  further  of  their 
journey,  which  brought  them  finally  to  Phila 
delphia,  Miss  Rose  Allison's  home,  and  where 
the  wedding  was  to  take  place. 

On  arriving  in  that  city  Mr.  Dinsmore  sent 
Elsie  and  her  nurse  to  Mr.  Allison's,  while  he, 
with  his  servant  John,  went  to  a  hotel.  He 
was  to  be  married  the  next  morning,  and  it  was 


304  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

already  late  in  the  afternoon,  so  the  separation 
would  not  be  for  long. 

While  taking  his  supper  at  the  hotel  table 
Mr.  Dinsmore  became  the  unconscious  object 
of  close  scrutiny  by  a  gentleman  seated  nearly 
opposite ;  a  rather  fine-looking  man,  tall,  well- 
proportioned,  with  good  features,  an  open,  in 
telligent  countenance,  benevolent  expression, 
clear  blue  eyes,  light  brown  hair  and  beard. 

"  I  can  hardly  be  mistaken  ;  it  is  no  common 
face;  but  I  will  make  certain,"  the  stranger 
said  to  himself,  as  he  rose  and  left  the  room  at 
the  conclusion  of  his  meal. 

He  went  to  the  hotel  register  and  found 
Mr.  Dinsinore's  name  among  those  entered 
that  day.  He  saw  it  with  a  thrill  of  pleasure  ; 
and  yet — "  well,  he  could  not  know  till  he  had 
tried  to  renew  the  acquaintance,  whether  to 
do  so  would  be  agreeable  to  the  friend  of  his 
boyhood." 

Mr.  Dinsmore  retired  to  his  own  apartment 
on  leaving  the  table,  and  had  scarcely  done  so 
when  a  servant  handed  in  a  card. 

"  Charles  Landreth,  M.D.,"  was  the  inscrip 
tion  it  bore.  Mr.  Dinsmore  read  it  at  a  glance. 
His  first  emotion  was  surprise,  the  next  a  mix 
ture  of  feelings. 

"  Show  the  gentleman  up  here ;  tell  him  I 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  3Q5 

shall  be  happy  to  see  him,"  he  said  to  the 
waiter.  Then,  as  the  man  closed  the  door  and 
departed,  he  turned  and  paced  the  floor  with 
slow,  meditative  step. 

"  It  may  be  a  good  Providence  that  brings 
us  together  so  unexpectedly  just  at  this  time," 
he  said  to  himself.  "  I  should  never  have  ex 
pected  dishonorable  conduct  from  my  old 
chum  Charlie  Landreth,  and  I'll  give  him  the 
benefit  of  the  doubt  as  long  as  I  can.  Ah, 
God  grant  I  may  be  able  to  set  this  matter 
right  for  poor  Mildred  !" 

Steps  approached,  the  door  opened,  and  the 
two  stood  face  to  face. 

"  Horace !  you  have  not  forgotten  me  ?" 
The  voice,  the  grasp  of  the  hand,  the  beaming 
countenance,  all  spoke  such  sincere  pleasure, 
such  warmth  of  friendship,  that  Mr.  Dins- 
more's  doubts  vanished  ;  that  was  not  the  face 
of  a  false,  cold-hearted  villain.  He  returned 
the  greeting  as  cordially  as  it  was  given. 

"  Forgotten  you,  Charlie  ?  No,  indeed !  and 
I'm  particularly  glad  that  you  have  made  your 
self  known  to-night ;  for  to-morrow  I  shall  be 
on  my  way  south  again." 

"  Ah,  going  back  to  the  old  neighborhood 
where  we  were  boys  together,"  and  Charlie 
heaved  a  sigh  to  the  memory  of  the  days  of 


306  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

auld  lang  syne,  as  he  accepted  a  mute  invita 
tion  to  be  seated.  "  Have  you  been  long  ab 
sent  ?"  he  asked. 

"  For  several  months.  I  am  lately  returned 
from  Indiana,  where  I  have  been  visiting  my 
cousins  the  Keiths." 

As  he  pronounced  the  name  Mr.  Dinsmore 
looked  keenly  at  his  companion. 

Landreth  flushed  hotly  and  his  look  was  both 
«ager  and  pained  as  he  responded,  with  a  little 
hesitation  in  his  speech.  "  Ah !  and  were  they 
— all  well?" 

"  Yes,  thank  you,  and  prospering.  One  of 
the  girls — there  are  five  in  all — is  married." 

"Mildred?"  asked  his  listener  in  a  hoarse 
whisper,  and  with  half-averted  face. 

"  No ;  she  is  still  single,  and  it  struck  me  as 
strange,  for  she  is  a  most  lovely  and  attractive 
girl  in  both  person  and  character." 

"  A  perfect  woman,  nobly  planned, 
To  warn,  to  comfort,  and  command; 
And  yet  a  spirit  still  and  bright, 
With  something  of  an  angel  light. " 

"  I  think  I  never  saw  one  to  whom  Words 
worth's  description  was  more  truly  applicable." 

Landreth  turned  and  grasped  Mr.  Dins- 
more's  hand,  his  face  all  aglow  with  hope  and 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  307 

joy.  "  You  have  lifted  me  from  the  depths  of 
despair  !"  he  said  in  tremulous  tones. 

"  You  have  cared  for  her  ?" 

"  Loved  her  as  never  man  loved  woman  be 
fore  !" 

Mr.  Dinsmore  smiled  at  that,  thinking  of 
Rose,  and  his  early  love,  the  mother  of  his 
child,  but  did  not  care  to  combat  the  assertion. 
"  She  is  worthy  of  it,"  was  all  he  said. 

"  I  heard  she  was  married,  and  it  nearly 
killed  me,"  Landreth  went  on.  "  But  I  could 
not  blame  her,  for  she  had  steadily  refused  to 
pledge  herself  to  me." 

"  But  where  have  you  been  all  these  years, 
and  how  is  it  that  I  find  you  here  now,  Char 
lie  ?  I  should  be  glad  to  hear  your  story." 

"  I  went  first  to  the  mines  of  South  Amer 
ica,"  Landreth  said,  "  saw  very  hard  times  for 
the  first  two  years,  then  met  with  a  wonderful 
turn  of  fortune — coming  quite  unexpectedly 
upon  a  very  large  nugget  of  gold.  I  didn't 
stay  long  after  that.  I  had  written  to  Mildred 
a  good  many  times,  but  never  received  a  line 
from  her,  and  almost  the  first  news  I  heard  on 
returning  to  my  native  land  was  that  of  her 
marriage.  As  I  have  said,  it  nearly  killed  me; 
but,  Dinsmore,  my  bitter  sorrow  and  disap 
pointment  did  for  me  what  perhaps  nothing 


-308  MILDEED  AND  ELSIE. 

•else  could.  I  sought  and  found  Him,  of  whom 
Moses  in  the  law  and  the  prophets  did  write, 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  sinner's  Saviour  and 
Friend." 

"Thank  God  for  that,  Charlie!"  Mr.  Dins- 
more  returned  with  emotion  ;  and  again  their 
hands  met  in  a  warm  brotherly  clasp. 

"  Having  found  him,"  continued  Landreth, 
"  of  course  his  service  became  my  first  object  in 
life.  I  looked  about  for  a  sphere  of  usefulness, 
and  decided  upon  the  medical  profession,  be 
cause  I  had  discovered  that  I  had  a  liking  for 
it,  the  necessities  of  the  men  in  my  employ 
having  led  me  to  dip  into  it  a  little.  So  I  came 
here  to  pursue  my  studies,  received  my  diplo 
ma  a  year  ago,  have  been  practicing  in  the  hos 
pitals  since,  and  am  now  looking  about  for  the 
best  place  in  which  to  begin  my  career  as  a 
private  physician  and  surgeon." 

"Plenty  of  room  in  the  West,"  observed 
Mr.  Dinsmore  sententiously  and  with  a  spar 
kle  of  fun  in  his  eye. 

Landreth  sprang  up.  "  And  my  darling  is 
there,  and  you  have  given  me  hope  that  I  may 
yet  win  her !  Dinsmore,  I  shall  make  the  ne 
cessary  arrangements  immediately,  and  set  off 
for  Pleasant  Plains  at  the  earliest  possible  mo 
ment." 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  Eight,  Charlie ;  and  you  have  my  best 
wishes  for  your  success  both  with  her  and  in. 
your  chosen  profession.  But  I  hope  you  will 
not  leave  Philadelphia  before  to-morrow  noon. 
I  want  you  at  my  wedding.  Mildred  and  the 
rest  will  be  glad  to  hear  an  account  of  it  from 
an  eye-witness." 

"Your  wedding?" 

"  Yes,  it  is  to  take  place  at  nine  to-morrow 
morning.  And  I  want  the  pleasure  of  intro 
ducing  my  intended  cousin  to  my  bride ;  to 
say  nothing  of  showing  you  one  whose  charms 
of  person  and  character  are  not  eclipsed  by 
even  those  of  sweet  and  lovely  Mildred 
Keith." 

"  She  must  be  worth  seeing,  if  that  be  the 
case,"  Landreth  answered  with  a  smile.  "  And 
I  am  keeping  you  from  her  now,  I  daresay ; 
for  which  she  certainly  will  not  thank  me." 

"She  is  too  kind-hearted  not  to  be  more 
than  content  for  Mildred's  and  your  sake." 

"Mildred's  do  you  say?"  and  Landreth's 
face  was  one  glow  of  delight. 

"  Yes,  Charlie,  for  Mildred's  ;  since  you  have 
so  frankly  told  me  how  it  is  with  you,  I  shall 
not  conceal  from  you  that  it  is  for  your  sake 
the  sweet  girl  has  remained  single  in  spite  of 
several  good  offers.  I  learned  it  from  my 


S10  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Cousin  Marcia,  her  mother.  And  while  I 
think  of  it,"  he  added  laughingly,  "  let  me  as 
sure  you  that  Marcia  will  make — does  make — a 
model  mother-in-law." 

"  I  should  be  glad  indeed  to  try  her  in  that 
capacity,"  returned  Landreth  lightly.  "  I 
think  it  will  hardly  be  possible  for  me  to  leave 
before  to-morrow  noon ;  so  accept  your  invita 
tion  with  thanks,  Dinsmore.  I  have  a  curios 
ity  to  see  your  bride,  and  a  very  strong  desire 
to  renew  my  acquaintance  with  your  little 
daughter,  whom  I  used  to  see  quite  frequently 
in  the  first  two  years  of  her  stay  at  Roselands. 
I  have  always  thought  her  the  sweetest  little 
creature  I  ever  beheld.  She  is  with  you  of 
course  ?" 

"  In  the  city  ?  Yes ;  you  will  see  her  to- 
morrow,"  Mr.  Dinsmore  answered,  looking 
highly  gratified  by  the  encomium  upon  his  dar 
ling  child. 

After  a  little  more  chat,  principally  of  mu< 
tual  friends  and  the  changes  that  had  taken 
place  in  their  old  neighborhood  since  Landreth 
left  it,  they  separated  with  another  cordial 
hand-shaking,  both  extremely  glad  of  the  cas 
ual  meeting,  and  expecting  to  meet  again  on 
the  morrow. 


CHAPTEK  XX1Y. 

"  Within  her  heart  was  his  image, 

Cloth'd  in  the  beauty  of  love  and  youth,  as  last  she  beheld  him 
Only  more  beautiful  made  by  his  deathlike  silence  and  absence.'1 

LONGFELLOW. 

IT  was  evening.  Mildred  was  alone  in  the 
parlor,  all  the  rest  of  the  family  having  gone 
to  a  concert.  They  had  urged  her  to  go  too, 
but  she  had  declined,  saying  she  greatly  pre 
ferred  a  quiet  evening  at  home.  Truth  to  tell 
she  was  oppressed  with  sadness,  and  wanted  to 
be  alone  that  she  might  indulge  it  for  a  little 
without  restraint. 

All  day  she  had  maintained  a  cheerfulness 
in  the  presence  of  others  which  she  did  not 
feel,  for  there  had  been  scarce  a  moment  when 
her  lost  love  was  absent  from  her  thoughts. 
"Why  was  it  that  her  heart  went  out  toward 
him  to-night  with  such  yearning  tenderness — 
such  unutterable  longing  to  look  into  his  eyes, 
to  hear  the  sound  of  his  voice,  to  feel  the 
touch  of  his  hand  2 

She  tried  in  vain  to  read ;  the  image  of  the 
lost  one  constantly  obtruded  itself  between 
her  mental  vision  and  the  printed  page. 


312  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

She  rose  and  paced  the  floor,  not  weeping, 
but  pressing  her  hand  to  her  heart  with  heavy 
sighing. 

The  curtains  were  not  closely  drawn,  or  the 
shutters  closed ;  a  lamp  burned  brightly  on  the 
centre-table,  and  the  room  was  full  of  warmth 
and  cheer. 

She  did  not  hear  the  opening  or  shutting  of 
the  gate,  or  a  quick,  manly  step  that  came  up 
the  gravel  walk  and  into  the  porch ;  did  not 
see  the  stranger  pause  before  the  bright  win 
dow  and  gaze  in,  half -unconsciously,  as  if  spell 
bound  by  the  sight  of  her  graceful  figure  and 
fair  though  sad  face.  She  turned  to  the  open 
piano,  struck  a  few  chords,  then  seated  herself 
and  sang  in  clear,  sweet  tones,  but  with  touch 
ing  pathos : 

"  When  true  hearts  lie  withered 

And  fond  ones  are  flown, 
Oh !  who  would  inhabit 
This  bleak  world  alone?" 

Then  with  a  sudden  change  of  feeling,  she 
touched  the  chords  anew  and  burst  into  a  song 
of  praise,  her  voice  swelling  out  full  and  high 
like  the  glad  song  of  a  bird  : 

"  Oh,  the  height  of  Jesus'  love! 
Higher  than  the  heavens  above, 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  313 

Deeper  than  the  depths  of  sea, 
Lasting  as  eternity; 

Love  that  found  me — wondrous  thought! 
Found  me  when  I  sought  him  not." 

"  A  gentleman  to  see  you,  Miss  Mildred," 
said  the  voice  of  Celestia  Ann  at  the  parlor 
door. 

Mildred  rose  and  turned  to  greet  him,  in 
some  surprise,  for  she  had  not  heard  the  ringing 
of  the  door-bell  or  the  sound  of  the  girl's  foot 
steps  as  she  passed  through  the  hall  to  answer 
it. 

The  latter  retreated  as  she  ushered  the 
stranger  in,  but  lingered  a  moment,  peering 
curiously  through  the  crack  behind  the  door. 
She  saw  him  step  forward  with  outstretched 
hand,  Mildred  moving  toward  him  with  an 
earnest,  inquiring  look  up  into  his  face ;  then 
an  ashy  paleness  suddenly  overspread  hers, 
she  staggered  and  would  have  fallen,  but  he 
caught  her  in  his  arms,  saying  in  low,  tremu 
lous  tones  as  he  held  her  close  to  his  heart, 
"  Mildred,  darling,  it  is  I !  Oh,  tell  me,  dear 
one,  that  you  have  not  forgotten  me  !" 

"  I  know'd  it !  I  know'd  there  was  some 
body  somewheres  she  cared  fer!  and  I'm 
mighty  glad  he's  come  at  last,  fer  her  sake," 
chuckled  Celestia  Ann,  nodding  and  smiling 


314  MJLDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

to  herself  BR  she  retreated  to  her  kitchen; 
"  though  I'll  be  dreadful  sorry,  too,  if  he  car 
ries  her  off  to  some  fer-away  place." 

To  those  two  in  the  parlor  the  next  hour 
was  probably  the  most  blissful  they  had  ever 
known.  Dr.  Landreth's  story  was  briefly  told 
— to  be  dwelt  upon  more  in  detail  in  future 
talks,  and  then — but  we  will  not  intrude  upon 
their  privacy. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keith,  returning  from  the 
concert,  found  their  daughter  seated  by  the 
side  of  one  who  was  an  entire  stranger  to 
them ;  yet  i&ere  was  small  need  of  introduc 
tion,  for  by  the  look  of  restful  happiness  in 
her  face  they  knew  instantly  who  he  was,  and 
that  all  was  right  between  them.  From  the 
first  all  were  favorably  impressed  by  Landreth's 
open,  intelligent  countenance,  polished  man 
ners,  manly  yet  modest  mien ;  and  a  few  days 
of  intimate  association  made  him  almost  as- 
great  a  favorite  in  the  family  as  Wallace 
Ormsby ;  while  the  latter  was  not  far  behind 
the  others  in  his  liking  for  the  new-comer. 

Mildred  was  very  happy,  and  all  her  dear 
ones  rejoiced  with  her ;  especially  when  it  be 
came  known  among  them  that  it  was  not  Dr, 
Landreth's  intention  or  wish  to  carry  her 
away  from  them. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  315 

"  No,"  he  said;  "  I  know  too  well  how  sad  a 
thing  it  is  to  be  fatherless,  motherless,  and 
without  any  other  near  relative,  to  desire  to 
separate  the  dear  girl  from  hers.  "WTiat  I 
want  is  the  privilege  of  sharing  them  with 
her." 

"Which  we  will  all  be  glad  to  have  you 
do,"  returned  Mrs.  Keith,  to  whom  the  re 
mark  was  addressed,  tears  of  sympathy  for  his 
past  forlorn  condition  glistening  in  her  eyes  ; 
"  we  will  rejoice  to  make  you  one  of  us,  not 
for  Mildred's  sake  alone,  but  for  your  own 
also." 

"Accept  my  heartiest  thanks,  my  dear 
madam,"  the  young  man  said  with  emotion ; 
"you  may  perhaps  have  some  idea  what  it 
will  be  to  me  to  have  a  mother,  when  I  tell 
you  that  mine  died  before  my  earliest  recol 
lection." 

Not  even  to  his  betrothed  had  Charlie 
disclosed  the  fact  that  he  was  again  a  man 
of  wealth ;  he  merely  assured  Mr.  Keith  that 
he  felt  himself  able  to  support  a  wife  com 
fortably,  having  a  good  profession,  and  means 
enough  to  live  upon  until  he  should  become 
well  established  in  it. 

Pleasant  Plains  was  now  growing  so  rapidly, 
the  surrounding  country  filling  up  so  fast, 


316  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

that  hardly  a  better  location  for  a  young 
physician  could  be  desired,  and  he  decided 
to  settle  in  the  town  at  once. 

And  now  what  was  to  hinder  an  imme« 
diate  marriage?  This  was  the  question  ho 
urged  upon  Mildred  and  her  parents,  but 
without  obtaining  a  prompt  and  decided  an 
swer.  The  parents  had  given  full  consent  to 
the  match,  yet  seemed  very  loath  to  resign 
their  daughter. 

Cyril  sided  with  Landreth ;  because,  as  he 
said,  he  wanted  to  be  present  at  the  wedding, 
and  as  he  was  to  leave  for  college  in  a  few 
days,  and  felt  certain  they  would  not  wait 
till  he  came  back,  his  only  chance  was  to 
have  it  take  place  before  he  went;  so  he 
coaxed  and  persuaded,  overruled  all  objections, 
and  finally  gained  his  point. 

"  It  won't  be  parting  with  her,"  he  said 
to  his  father  and  mother ;  "  they'll  board  at 
home  at  least  till  spring.  I  asked  the  doctor, 
and  he's  delighted  with  the  idea."  To  Mil 
dred  herself :  "  What's  the  use  waiting  to 
make  up  a  lot  of  finery  ?  You  can  do  that  af 
terwards.  You  have  two  new  dresses  just 
made  up  for  fall  any  way,  and  there's  mother's 
wedding-dress  that  Zillah  was  married  in  fits 
you  just  as  well,  and  makes  you  look  lovely. 


MILDRED  AND  EL8IE.  317 

We  can't  get  up  as  big  a  wedding  as  Zil'a 
all  in  a  hurry  to  be  sure,  but  I  don't  believe 
you  care  for  that." 

"  K"o,"  she  said ;  "  I  should  much  prefer  hav 
ing  only  relatives  and  a  few  very  near  friends." 

"It  would  save  expense  to  father  and  a 
great  deal  of  fuss  and  trouble  to  mother," 
was  the  next  and  most  effectual  considera 
tion  he  urged.  "  Then  too,"  he  added  a  little 
mischievously,  "Mr.  Lord's  away  just  now, 
and  that  will  give  you  a  chance  to  have  the 
knot  tied  by  your  future  brother-in-law — same 
as  Zillah  had.'" 

This  last  was  a  stronger  inducement  than 
he  knew  or  suspected ;  she  had  an  earnest  de 
sire  to  have  the  ceremony  performed  by  her 
old  friend  Frank  Osborne,  and  was  a  little  ap 
prehensive  of  some  blunder  on  the  part  of  ab 
sent-minded  Mr.  Lord,  should  he  officiate. 

"Frank's  to  preach  for  us  next  Sunday," 
Cyril  went  on.  "  He'll  stay  over  Monday  if  we 
ask  him,  and  if  you'll  let  me  arrange  matters 
I'll  appoint  Monday  evening  for  the  wedding." 

"How  very  kind  in  you,"  she  returned 
laughing. 

"  Come  now,  Milly,  say  yes,"  he  continued, 
not  deigning  to  notice  the  interruption.  "  I'm 
to  leave  on  "Wednesday  you  know." 


318  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

"  Monday,  Cyril !  "Why  that's  wash-day, 
and  Celestia  Ann  won't —  " 

"  I'll  settle  that,"  he  interrupted,  making  a 
hasty  exit  from  the  room. 

After  a  brief  absence  he  returned  in  great 
glee.  "I  thought  I  could  manage  it,"  he 
said,  "  and  I  have.  She's  delighted  with  the 
idea  of  a  wedding  that  shall  take  everybody 
in  town  by  surprise.  She  won't  give  up  the 
washing,  but  says  she'll  be  up  early  enough  to 
have  it  out  of  the  way  by  nine  o'clock ;  and 
then  she'll  'turn  in  and  bake  cake.'  She'll 
bake  some  to-morrow,  too,  so  there  '  won't  be 
no  trouble  'bout  the  'freshments,  not  a  mite/ 
Now,  Milly,  haven't  I  taken  the  last  stone  out 
of  the  way  ?" 

"  Yes,  you  dear  old  fellow,"  she  said,  with 
a  look  of  sisterly  love  and  pride  into  his  bright, 
eager  young  face;  "and  it  shall  be  as  you 
wish.  Mother  and  I  have  been  talking  over 
your  plan,  and  think  it  practicable.  Also  that 
it  would  be  too  bad  to  disappoint  you,  to  say 
nothing  of  some  one  else  even  more  nearly 
concerned,"  she  added,  with  a  charming  blush 
and  smile. 

"  That's  a  good  girl !  I  knew  you  would  I 
I'll  run  and  tell  the  doctor."  And  he  was  off 
before  Mildred  could  stop  him. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Of  course  Dr.  Landreth  was  delighted.  No 
one  else  raised  any  objection,  and  hasty  prep 
•arations  were  at  once  set  on  foot. 

Mildred  thought  she  ought  to  be  the  busiest 
of  them  all,  but  mother  and  sisters  would  not 
hear  of  it.  "  You  have  been  working  for 
everybody  else  for  years  past,"  they  said ; 
"  now  it  is  your  turn  to  rest  and  have  a  good 
time.  So  just  devote  yourself  to  the  enter 
tainment  of  the  doctor,  or  to  being  entertained 
by  him."  Finding  them  determined  to  dis 
pense  with  her  assistance,  Mildred  submitted 
with  a  good  grace;  the  more  so  as  Charlie 
managed  to  engross  her  time  and  attention 
almost  constantly. 

He  had  arrived  on  Monday,  and  it  was  on 
Friday  that  her  consent  to  Cyril's  plan  was 
given. 

Mr.  Dinsmore's  visit  had  created  quite  a 
sensation  in  the  town.  It  was  reported  that 
lie  had  come  for  Mildred ;  but  the  advent  of 
this  stranger  who,  though  lodging  at  the  prin 
cipal  hotel,  spent  his  days  at  Mr.  Keith's, 
modified  the  rumors,  and  people  were  on  the 
qui  vive  to  learn  which,  if  either,  was  the 
favored  suitor. 

The  wedding  passed  off  very  nicely,  just 
at  the  time  and  in  the  way  that  Cyril  had 


320  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

planned,  and  the  next  morning  the  gossips  of 
the  town  were  electrified  by  the  news. 

The  bride  had  a  great  surprise  that  day  in 
her  turn.  It  came  in  the  shape  of  a  mysteri 
ous  box  directed  to  her,  which  on  opening 
was  found  to  contain  a  beautiful  bridal  bonnet, 
three  dress-patterns  of  rich  silk — a  delicate 
rose  color,  a  silver  gray,  and  a  rich  dark  brown 
— gloves,  laces,  ribbons,  and  flowers. 

The  whole  family  had  gathered  round  to 
watch  the  opening  and  unpacking  of  the  box,, 
and  each  article  was  examined  in  turn  with 
many  exclamations  of  admiration  and  delight. 
At  the  very  bottom  they  came  upon  a  note. 

"  DEAR  MILLY  : 

"  A  little  bird  has  whispered  to  me  that  you 
are  soon  to  be  a  bride,  and  Elsie  and  I  are 
very  glad  of  the  excuse  to  send  a  few  trifling 
gifts,  which  we  hope  you  will  do  us  the  kind 
ness  to  accept  as  tokens  of  the  sincere  affection 
we  both  feel  for  you. 

"  COUSIN  HORACE." 

There  had  been  no  time  for  parents  and 
friends  to  prepare  bridal  gifts,  and  excepting 
a  beautiful  set  of  pearls  Dr.  Landreth  had  pur 
chased  for  her  before  leaving  Philadelphia, 
these  were  the  first  Mildred  had  received. 


MILDRED  AND  ELSIE.  321 

"How  very  kind  and  thoughtful!"  she 
said,  her  eyes  glistening  with  mingled  emo 
tions  ;  "but  how  did  they  manage  it  2  What 
time  was  there  for  shopping  after  Cousin  Hor 
ace  saw  you,  Charlie  ?" 

"  I  should  say  by  no  means  enough  for  the 
purchase  of  all  these,"  Dr.  Landreth  answered, 
evidently  as  much  puzzled  as  herself. 

A  letter  from  Adelaide  Dinsmore,  received 
by  the  next  mail,  explained  it.  She  had  been 
present  at  Horace's  wedding,  acting  as  brides 
maid,  had  remained  behind  when  he  left  with 
wife  and  daughter  for  their  home  in  the 
South,  and  had  executed  these  commissions 
for  him  and  Elsie,  adding  some  gifts  from  her 
self  and  parents.  She  wrote  in  a  cordial, 
affectionate  way,  and  begged  for  a  speedy 
reply  telling  all  about  the  marriage.  "Be 
cause  she  could  get  nothing  out  of  Horace 
except  that  there  was  to  be  one." 

"Mildred,  you  must  come  out  in  bridal 
attire  next  Sunday,"  Zillah  said  with  energy. 
"You're  to  wear  the  new  bonnet  and  that 
grey  silk.  We'll  have  it  made  in  time." 

It  was  made  in  time,  and  very  lovely  Mil 
dred  looked  in  it.  She  was  the  cynosure  ot 
all  eyes;  yet  another  bride  shared  the  atteii. 
tion  of  the  curious. 


322  MILDRED  AND  ELSIE. 

Years  ago  Gotobed  Lightcap  had  gone  to  a 
distant  city  to  pursue  his  studies.  To-day,  a 
licensed  preacher  of  the  Gospel,  he  filled  Mr. 
Lord's  pulpit,  and  gave  the  congregation  an 
earnest,  able,  well- written  discourse. 

After  the  service  he  brought  his  wife — a 
pretty,  ladylike  little  body — and  with  a  proud 
and  happy  look  introduced  her  to  Mildred. 

The  two  ladies  shook  hands  cordially,  Mil 
dred  furtively  examining  the  other  with  curi 
osity,  Gotobed  regarding  Dr.  Landreth  in 
like  manner.  Then  Mildred  introduced  them, 
and  they  exchanged  congratulations  and  good 
wishes. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Lightcap  was  in  many  ways 
a  vast  improvement  upon  the  young  black 
smith  of  Mildred's  early  acquaintance,  espe 
cially  as  regarded  education,  intelligence,  and 
refinement  of  speech  and  manner. 

Dr.  Landreth  was  greatly  interested  in  him 
and  his  story  as  told  by  Mildred  on  the  home 
ward  walk.  And  she  was  very  happy  in  the 
assurance  that  she  had  not,  even  innocently, 
wrecked  his  happiness ;  yet  more  in  the  love 
that  now  made  life's  pathway  look  so  bright 
before  her. 

THE  END. 


50 
Qi 


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